Based on the work of Graen and Graen and Scandura on role-making processes in leader-member dyads and the leader-member exchange (LMX) paradigm, this investigation proposes a new direction for research. The findings reported demonstrate that leader role inversion positively affects a number of important work-related attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. These included higher order need fulfillment, accountability, intrinsic motivation, propensity to leave, and job satisfaction: work and supervision. The theoretical discussion presented in this article explains how leader role inversion results in a reconfiguration of role pressures. This reconfiguration of role pressures is hypothesized to affect the work-related attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The results are tested for generalizability across plants and occupational categories.
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