Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: This dissertation contains three sequential studies that use a mixed-methods approach. \nThe first study involved qualitative interviews with 29 individuals using the critical incident \ntechnique (Flanagan, 1949) and Peterson and Seligman's (2004) conceptualization of \ncharacter strengths to understand what leader-demonstrated character strengths look like in \nthe workplace. The outcome of this study was a 27 item measure of Character Strengths in \nLeadership. \nThe second study's purpose was to test the reliability and validity of a newly developed \nCharacter Strengths in Leadership scale by comparing character strengths-based leadership \nagainst other known measures of leadership (the MLQ, Authentic Leadership, Ethical \nLeadership, Passive Leadership, and Abusive Supervision). These surveys were \nadministered to a North American snowball sample of 270 individuals. Exploratory factor \nanalysis suggests that character strengths-based leadership is a three-dimensional construct \nthat can be differentiated from other known measures of leadership. \nThe third study tested a 14 item Character Strengths in Leadership questionnaire against \norganizational and personal outcome measures (organizational citizenship behaviours, \naffective commitment, affect, and psychological health). Structural Equation Modeling using \nconfirmatory factor analysis and observed variable path analysis was used to develop and test \na model of character strengths in leadership. The resulting structural model provided a \nstrong fit and supported hypotheses regarding both work-based and individual-level \noutcomes. Implications for the findings and follow-up research are discussed.
Author: Noel Balliett Thun
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1867040208