The relationship of leaders' support of self-determination among subordinates and subordinates' job satisfactio

Leadership styles supportive of self-determination in subordinates contributes to subordinates' job satisfaction (Deci, E. L., Connell, J. P., & Ryan, R. M., 1989; Morgeson, 1995). Sixty-nine employees of the Ford Motor Company Customer Assistance Center were surveyed to further investigate this relationship. Fourteen Team Leaders completed the Problems at Work questionnaire which assessed their leadership style in terms of degree of support for self-determination in subordinates (Deci et al., 1989). Subordinates ($n=51$) completed the Job Descriptive Index (Smith, 1969), which assessed five facets contributing to overall job satisfaction, including: (a) supervision, (b) work, (c) pay, (d) promotions and (e) coworkers. The current study supported previous research indicating minimal effects of leadership orientation on subordinates' overall job satisfaction (Deci et al., 1989; Morgeson, 1995). Perceptions of satisfaction with supervision and work were significantly correlated, indicating that perceptions of supervision may contribute to overall job satisfaction (Morgeson, 1995).