Not All Transformational Leadership Behaviors Are Equal: The Impact of Followers’ Identification With Leader and Modernity on Taking Charge

Abstract

This study investigates how each dimension of transformational leadership directly and indirectly influences followers’ change-oriented behaviors. Using a sample of 329 independent leader–follower dyads from a wide range of Chinese organizations, we examine followers’ identification with leader as an intervening variable between the four dimensions of transformational leadership (“core” transformational behaviors, high-performance expectations, individualized support, and intellectual stimulation) and followers’ taking charge behaviors. Results showed that intellectual stimulation had the highest relative effect size that was largely due to its direct effect on taking charge. Individualized support only exerted a significant indirect effect. Additionally, the negative direct and positive indirect effects of high-performance expectations rendered its total effect nonsignificant. Furthermore, the direct, indirect, and total effects of “core” transformational behaviors were nonsignificant. We also found that followers’ value of modernity moderated the effect of identification with leader on taking charge. The indirect effects of intellectual stimulation, individualized support, and high-performance expectations were significant when modernity was high but nonsignificant when it was low. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.