Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
5-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Business Administration
Committee Chair
Christina L. Wassenaar, Ph.D.
Abstract
This study explores the outcomes of emotional exhaustion in servant leadership, a leadership style through which leaders enact influence by serving, empowering, and developing others—that is, 'leading from behind.' Drawing on conservation of resources theory, I explored how servant leadership behaviors may adversely affect the practicing leader through emotional exhaustion and laterally influence the subsequent outcomes of work disengagement and work–family conflict. Additionally, I investigated the moderating influence of self-leadership on the relationship between servant leadership and emotional exhaustion. I tested a moderated mediation model with regression analysis using two independent samples of organizational leaders surveyed at two different time points (Sample 1: N = 79; Sample 2: N = 379). The findings did not support a positive relationship between servant leadership and emotional exhaustion but did support positive relationships between emotional exhaustion and work disengagement, and emotional exhaustion and work–family conflict. Several limitations of the study are discussed, along with implications and future research directions.
Recommended Citation
Mondy, April E., "To Serve and Deplete: Exploring Outcomes of Emotional Exhaustion in Servant Leadership and the Moderating Role of Self-Leadership" (2023). Theses and Dissertations. 123.
https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/theses_diss/123