Relationships between leader and follower organizational identification and implications for follower attitudes and behaviour

Abstract

We present a multi‐sample multi‐level approach that examines the link between leader and follower organizational identification, and follower attitudes. Study 1 comprises 367 school teachers and 60 head teachers in Germany. The results illustrate a significant relationship between head teacher and school teacher school identification. Moreover, indirect relations between head teacher school identification and school teacher job satisfaction and self‐reported citizenship behaviours, mediated by school teacher school identification, are predicted and supported by the data. The findings are replicated within Study 2, comprising 233 school teachers and 22 head teachers. Finally, a third study replicates the findings in a different sector using a sample of 314 travel agents in 127 travel agencies and their leaders. Taken together, leader's self‐construal in terms of the organization is related to follower organizational identification, and therefore leads to greater follower satisfaction and to a greater willingness to exert extra effort on behalf of the organization.