Title: The mediating role of interpersonal communication satisfaction between transformational leadership and followers' trust

Authors: J. Irudhaya Rajesh; L. Suganthi

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai 600-025, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Management Studies, College of Engineering, Anna University, Chennai 600-025, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of followers' interpersonal communication satisfaction between transformational leadership and followers' outcome variable, namely, followers' trust in the leader. The study uses questionnaire based survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis is employed to test the research hypothesis, using the procedure outlined by Baron and Kenny steps for mediation, followed by the Sobel test. The research indicates that followers' interpersonal communication satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and followers' trust in the leader. Basing on the mediation results of interpersonal communication satisfaction as evinced by this study, it is implied that a greater emphasis needs to be laid on imparting interpersonal communication skills training for supervisors alongside conducting frequent communication satisfaction audits for the followers/subordinates in the organisations. This study is the first report on the link between transformational leadership and followers' trust in the leader with the followers' interpersonal communication satisfaction as a mediator.

Keywords: India; transformational leadership; interpersonal communication satisfaction; business excellence; trust; followers; subordinates; communication skills training; supervisors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2016.076773

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2016 Vol.9 No.4, pp.418 - 440

Received: 08 Feb 2014
Accepted: 11 Aug 2014
Published online: 01 Jun 2016 *

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