An investigation of leadership styles in a large American police department: Effects on officers' extra effort, perceptions of leader effectiveness, and satisfaction with leaders

This study was designed to examine the leadership styles of police supervisors and their effects on subordinate officers' willingness to exert extra effort, perceptions of leader effectiveness, and satisfaction with their leaders. The Full Range of Leadership (FRL) model was applied that explains the effectiveness on leadership outcomes by three leadership styles: transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant. The transformational leadership style includes five behaviors: idealized influence (attributed), idealized influence (behavioral), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration transactional leadership includes contingent reward and management-by-exception (active) and the passive/avoidant leadership includes management-by-exception (passive) and laissez-faire behaviors. The FRL model also consists of three leadership outcomes: extra effort, leader effectiveness, and satisfaction. The research instrument used was the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) (5x-Short) Rater Form that measures the leadership behaviors and outcomes in the FRL model. The sample included 219 sworn officers from various ranks employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) who voluntarily responded to an online version of the MLQ.Descriptive statistics revealed that subordinate officers perceived their supervisors as demonstrating all five transformational leadership behaviors and transactional contingent reward more frequently than other behaviors in the FRL model. Multiple regression analyses revealed that together, transformational leadership and transactional contingent reward significantly and positively predicted leadership outcomes beyond the effects of other leadership styles in the model. Passive/avoidant leadership and management-by-exception negatively predicted outcomes. These findings support previous research on the FRL model and transformational and transactional leadership research.Based on the findings, police supervisors can be more effective in leading their subordinates if they emphasize both transformational and transactional leadership behaviors, especially contingent reward. Therefore, this researcher recommends the development and implementation of meaningful leadership training programs that will enhance the transformational and transactional qualities in police departments or similar organizations. Increasing the leadership skills of police supervisors positively affects the performance of subordinate officers that will eventually increase the ability of police departments to better serve the community.