Leadership has always been the main focus of management research. There has been various studies that suggest or teach leaders how to become effective leaders among their followers. Until recently little attention has been paid to followership in leadership research (Baker, 2007; Bligh, 2011; Carsten, Uhl-Bien, West, Patera, & McGregor, 2010; Kelley, 2008; Sy, 2010 as cited in Uhl-Bien, Riggio, Lowe, & Carsten, 2013). It takes two to tango in this kind of relationship, without followers, there will be no leaders, and vice versa. In this particular study, followers will be given focus in order to determine what ways of employee cynicism can affect leader identity.
Since the 5th century B.C., cynics viewed civilization as unreal and unreliable. Since then, the word ‘cynic’ has been specified to those “distrustful of human nature and motives” (Dean, Brandes, Dharwadkar, 1998 as cited in Milus, 2001). Cynics find achievement in the persistent quest of authority, prosperity, and materialism by their associates. The term cynicism was “a philosophy of simplicity critically applied to the excess of society and its powers” (Goldfrab, 1991 as cited in Andersson, 1996, p.1). Cynicism is already great among followers and is apparently becoming greater (Brush, 2006; Schwab, 2007 as cited in Kim, Bateman, Gilbreath, & Andersson, 2009). Cynics in the offices doubt the intentions of their superiors and regard that their employers will abuse their contributions when given the chance (Kanter & Mirvis, 1989 as cited in Andersson, 1996). Employee cynicism is involved in all levels from top down and inside out (Milus, 2001). Employee cynicism is one of the many forms of organization cynicism. …show more content…
It is as an attitude characterized by frustration, hopelessness, and disillusionment, as well as “contempt toward and distrust of business organization, executives, and/or other objects in the workplace” (Cook & Medley, 1954 as cited in Andersson & Bateman, 1997, p. 4). When an employee possess this attitude, they see their supposed leaders as someone who does not care who they hurt in the process of pursuing their goals. Employees would see their leader as “representing the ‘other side’ of the system”(Shamir, Zakay, Breinin, & Popper, 1998, p. 391 as cited in Gebert, et al., 2015). Cynicism is generally viewed as negative, and is therefore a sensitive topic to managers and organizations. Because of this sensitivity, negative attitudes as well as the organizational practices that foster then have been relatively neglected in management research (Andersson, 1996). Individual differences (e.g., positive and negative affect: Chiaburu et al, 2013), psychological contract breach (Andersson, 1996), lack of social support (O’Brien, Haslam, Jetten, Humphrey, O’Sullivan & Postmes (2004), leader-membership exchange (LMX: Brandes, 1997), formal contract breach (Abraham, 2000), and trustworthiness of top management (Kim, Bateman, Gilbreath & Andersson, 2009) were a few identified predictors of employee cynicism. Negative affectivity was found to have a positive relationship with employee cynicism (Chiaburu et al, 2013). Affect represents a precursor to work attitudes (Brief & Weiss, 2002 as cited in Chiaburu et al, 2013) which provides a platform to discuss the relationship of negative affect and employee cynicism. Negative affectivity (NA) is the chronic experience of distress and unpleasant engagement (Watson et al., 1988 cited in Chiaburu et al, 2013). People with NA exhibit negative emotions like anger, disgust and guilt and are therefore more distrustful and cynical toward their supervisors, managers and organization. Andersson (1996) found that psychological contract breach as an antecedent of employee cynicism. Psychological contracts are subjective and exist in the minds of individuals. It is believed that a mutual obligation exists between two parties where promises are made and actions should be reciprocated in some way (Rousseau, 1989 as cited in Andersson, 1996, p.22) When psychological contract breach happens, it triggers a feeling of betrayal and inequality that could lead …show more content…
Past research have focused mainly on how leadership styles have affected employees and followers and not the other way around. This study adopts the proposition of Gerbert, Heinitz, Buerengeler (2015) as a recommendation for future research to explore the ways by which employee cynicism can affect leader identity. Leader identity is commonly depicted as “intrapersonal, one-directional, and static.” In an organization, a member would claim and act as a leader and the rest would follow if and only if the followers accept him as a leader. Once there is a clear designation of roles, follower and leader identities will emerge (DeRue & Ashford,
Since the 5th century B.C., cynics viewed civilization as unreal and unreliable. Since then, the word ‘cynic’ has been specified to those “distrustful of human nature and motives” (Dean, Brandes, Dharwadkar, 1998 as cited in Milus, 2001). Cynics find achievement in the persistent quest of authority, prosperity, and materialism by their associates. The term cynicism was “a philosophy of simplicity critically applied to the excess of society and its powers” (Goldfrab, 1991 as cited in Andersson, 1996, p.1). Cynicism is already great among followers and is apparently becoming greater (Brush, 2006; Schwab, 2007 as cited in Kim, Bateman, Gilbreath, & Andersson, 2009). Cynics in the offices doubt the intentions of their superiors and regard that their employers will abuse their contributions when given the chance (Kanter & Mirvis, 1989 as cited in Andersson, 1996). Employee cynicism is involved in all levels from top down and inside out (Milus, 2001). Employee cynicism is one of the many forms of organization cynicism. …show more content…
It is as an attitude characterized by frustration, hopelessness, and disillusionment, as well as “contempt toward and distrust of business organization, executives, and/or other objects in the workplace” (Cook & Medley, 1954 as cited in Andersson & Bateman, 1997, p. 4). When an employee possess this attitude, they see their supposed leaders as someone who does not care who they hurt in the process of pursuing their goals. Employees would see their leader as “representing the ‘other side’ of the system”(Shamir, Zakay, Breinin, & Popper, 1998, p. 391 as cited in Gebert, et al., 2015). Cynicism is generally viewed as negative, and is therefore a sensitive topic to managers and organizations. Because of this sensitivity, negative attitudes as well as the organizational practices that foster then have been relatively neglected in management research (Andersson, 1996). Individual differences (e.g., positive and negative affect: Chiaburu et al, 2013), psychological contract breach (Andersson, 1996), lack of social support (O’Brien, Haslam, Jetten, Humphrey, O’Sullivan & Postmes (2004), leader-membership exchange (LMX: Brandes, 1997), formal contract breach (Abraham, 2000), and trustworthiness of top management (Kim, Bateman, Gilbreath & Andersson, 2009) were a few identified predictors of employee cynicism. Negative affectivity was found to have a positive relationship with employee cynicism (Chiaburu et al, 2013). Affect represents a precursor to work attitudes (Brief & Weiss, 2002 as cited in Chiaburu et al, 2013) which provides a platform to discuss the relationship of negative affect and employee cynicism. Negative affectivity (NA) is the chronic experience of distress and unpleasant engagement (Watson et al., 1988 cited in Chiaburu et al, 2013). People with NA exhibit negative emotions like anger, disgust and guilt and are therefore more distrustful and cynical toward their supervisors, managers and organization. Andersson (1996) found that psychological contract breach as an antecedent of employee cynicism. Psychological contracts are subjective and exist in the minds of individuals. It is believed that a mutual obligation exists between two parties where promises are made and actions should be reciprocated in some way (Rousseau, 1989 as cited in Andersson, 1996, p.22) When psychological contract breach happens, it triggers a feeling of betrayal and inequality that could lead …show more content…
Past research have focused mainly on how leadership styles have affected employees and followers and not the other way around. This study adopts the proposition of Gerbert, Heinitz, Buerengeler (2015) as a recommendation for future research to explore the ways by which employee cynicism can affect leader identity. Leader identity is commonly depicted as “intrapersonal, one-directional, and static.” In an organization, a member would claim and act as a leader and the rest would follow if and only if the followers accept him as a leader. Once there is a clear designation of roles, follower and leader identities will emerge (DeRue & Ashford,