Diversity As A Predictor Of Leadership Effectiveness

Abstract

Drawing upon the existing literature, this study investigated the significance of Diversity as a predictor of leadership effectiveness, as it relates to the Multidimensional Measure of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX-MDM). A study of 300 working adults found that there was a significant positive relationship between Diversity and the four LMX dimensions of Contribution, Loyalty, Affect, and Professional Respect. Collectivism and religious affiliation were both strong predictors with regard to Contribution. With regard to the dimension of Loyalty; collectivism, gender egalitarianism, and age helped to increase ratings of the supervisor and perceptions of leadership. Affect only had one significant predictor, collectivism. The LMX dimension of Professional Respect was found to have four significant predictors, including collectivism, religious affiliation, age, and years as a manager. Further regression analysis indicated that the Diversity dimension, Collectivism, was the driving factor of the relationship. This outcome indicated that Collectivism was a strong predictor of how positively participants rated their attitudes toward their immediate supervisor and perceptions of leadership. The results of this study indicate that diversity, particularly with regard to collectivism, is a positive predictor of leadership effectiveness using the LMX model. Furthermore, it strengthens the argument that organizations must be prepared to re-evaluate their policies with regard to diversity in the organization, particularly with respect to Collectivism.