Effects of Perceived Leadership Behaviors on Job Satisfaction and Productivity

This study investigated effects of perceived leadership behaviors on job satisfaction and productivity. Participants were 467 graduate and undergraduate organizational behavior students who formed 101 groups. Previous field studies have found no effect of leaders' behaviors on organizational productivity when productivity was represented by indirect, enterprise-wide financial measures such as profit and return on assets. In our study, we manipulated leaders' behaviors (consideration and initiating structure) and measured productivity in terms of units produced by each group. Analysis indicated strong effects of leaders' initiating structure and consideration on both job satisfaction and productivity of group members.