Interpersonal and Organizational Dimensions of Leaders’ Transformational Behaviours Measured by LPI©

Abstract

This paper discusses characteristics of leaders’ transformational behaviours by using the five-factor Exemplary Leadership model measured by Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI©) (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Literature is scarce on investigating the psychometric properties of this instrument. In this study factor analysis, cluster analysis and ANOVA are used for identifying changes of the internal variable structure of Leadership Practices Inventory© and examining correlations between leadership scales and objective variables on a sample of 1638. The main goal of this paper is to report on a new, two-dimensional factor structure found, in which one of the factors represents a development-motivation (i.e., stimulation), and the other, a vision-organizational transformation dimension. Through identifying the two-dimensional structure, this research statistically confirms the literature suggestion (Northouse, 2001; 2019) about the existence of an interpersonal and an organizational dimension of transformational behaviours. Along the two factors an original cluster structure of ‘transformational leadership’ and ‘non-leadership’ and hypothetical further clusters are proposed. By using the factors, significant relations between leadership activities and management levels, leaders’ qualifications, as well as organizational variables like ownership, sector, size, and functional unit are found. Beyond their theoretical implications, the results of this research can be used in management education, self-development of managers, and managerial practice.