THE EFFECTS OF SUPERLEADERSHIP TRAINING ON LEADER BEHAVIOR, SUBORDINATE SELF-LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR, AND SUBORDINATE CITIZENSHIP

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of SuperLeadership training on trainee leadership behavior, subordinate self-leadership behavior, and subordinate citizenship. The experiment involved approximately 70 focal training participants and 500 subordinates. Participants were assigned to two conditions: a) a training condition, in which participants received training immediately after baseline questionnaire data were collected; and b) a comparison condition, where participants did not receive training until after a second set of data had been collected to assess change. The lag between the first and second rounds of data collection was 10-weeks. Although data analysis confirmed the psychometric adequacy of the research questionnaires, the broad finding of the study was that the leadership behavior of participants in the training group did not change as a result of the training. Subordinate, self-leadership behavior and citizenship also did not appear to change as a result of the training. However, supervisors of the participants reported increased performance of the trainees as a result of the training. This suggested that supervisors may have seen early evidence of positive change as a result of the training. Subsequent investigation determined that although the training was perceived as effective by the participants, reductions-in-force in the host organization were perceived as inhibiting participants' ability to apply the training. Speculation concerning the apparent lack of change explored aspects of the experiment itself, the training, and the transfer setting in the host organization.