A study of the relationship between commitment to the supervisor and followers' perception of leadership

The results of this research demonstrate the extent to which followers' commitment to the supervisor depends on a match between the followers' perceived leadership model and the followers' perception of the supervisor's leadership behaviors. The results are based on a sample of 117 employees who completed the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI) and Supervisor Related Commitment (SRC) survey. The LPI was used to assess followers' perceptions of ideal leader behaviors and their supervisor's behaviors. The SRC assessed followers' commitment to the supervisor. The results suggested a negative and significant relationship between commitment and the difference between the followers' perceptions of ideal leader behaviors and their supervisor's behaviors. The SRC total commitment and Enable Others LPI difference ( r = - .424, p = .000) was a moderate but significant relationship. The associations between the SRC total commitment and the other four LPI differences were low but significant (Model Way, r = - .279, p = .002; Inspire Vision, r = -.272, p = .003; Challenge Process, r = -.281, p = .002; Encourage, r = -.256, p = .005). Furthermore, regression analysis suggested that one LPI domain, Enable Others to Act (beta = -.473, p = .001), was the strongest predictor of follower commitment to the supervisor. The results support the initial hypothesis of a relationship between commitment and a match between followers' perceived leadership model and followers' perception of the supervisor's leadership behaviors.