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The Importance of Empathy as a Distal Leadership Attribute in the Emergence of Leaders in Small Groups

Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSNChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

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Publication date26/08/2019
Host publicationEmotions and Leadership
EditorsNeal Ashkanasy, Wilfred Zerbe, Charmine Hartel
PublisherEmerald
Pages159-176
Number of pages17
ISBN (electronic)9781838672010
ISBN (print)9781838672027
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Publication series

NameResearch on Emotion in Organizations
PublisherEmerald
Volume15
ISSN (Print)1746-9791

Abstract

Purpose To examine empathy as a trait that influences leadership behaviors,
which, in turn, influence group decision-making.
Design/Methodology/Approach This study uses an assessment center
design to maximize internal validity.
Findings The structural equation model shows that empathy strongly AU:1
relates to both relationship leadership and task leadership, while cognitive
ability only relates to task leadership. Both relationship leadership and task
leadership exert influence over group task choice and group decisions. Thus,
empathy has its major effects through influencing leader behaviors, which, in
turn, have distal impacts on outcomes such as influence over decisions.
Research Limitations/Implications The study results should be further
tested in field settings.