LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE AND LEADERSHP-INDUCED
STRESS: WHEN AND HOW COWORKER SUPPORT MATTERS.
Olufemi A. LAWAL
Department of Psychology
Faculty of the Social Sciences
Olabisi Onabanjo University
Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State
Nigeria
Abstract
This study examined the extent to which Leader-Member Exchange
(LMX) can predict leadership-induced stress (stress that employees
experience which they believe is caused by their organizational
leaders), and whether and how coworker support intervene in this
prediction. A total of 620 junior and middle cadre employees, who
were randomly selected, participated in the study. Three hypotheses
were tested with a moderated (hierarchical) regression analysis, three
simple regression analysis, and a multiple regression analysis. Results
show that LMX significantly predicted leadership-induced stress, and
that there is no significant interaction of LMX and coworker support on
leadership-induced stress. However, coworker support significantly
mediated the influence of LMX on leadership-induced stress. The
findings were discussed in the light of reviewed theoretical and
empirical literatures while implications for the realities of
organizational leadership and employees’ report of stress vis-à -vis
their well being, especially in organizations in the developing world,
were highlighted.
Introduction
Organizational leaders are understood to maintain two major groups
of subordinate employees: the in-group and the out-group. This
categorization underlies the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX)
concept. Defined as the unique, relationship-based social exchange
between leaders and members (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995), LMX
incorporates important, exchange-based issues such as per