Positive Attributional Theory of Leadership - Review of Research Papers

Summary Attributional Theory of Leadership: a model of functional attributions and behaviors
C. Lakshman

C. Lakshman, (2008),"Attributional theory of leadership: a model of functional attributions and
behaviors", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 29 Iss: 4 pp. 317 - 339


Lakshman pointed out that till this paper, attributional leadership theory focused on biases in attribution and the resulting consequences. He took a positive approach and developed propositions based on accurate attributions and the resulting consequences.


P1. The degree to which managers analyze multiple causes, identifying those
with augmenting schema, ruling out those with discounting schema, with
special attention given to those causes with most augmenting schema or least
discounting schema in complex situations, will lead to more accurate and less
biased attributions of poor performance events.

P2. Managers that are more accurate in their causal analysis have higher and
more positive levels of interactive behaviors, lower feedback latencies, and
develop better strategies for correcting performance deficiencies, thereby
leading their units to higher effectiveness.

P3a. Managers who are not susceptible to gender biases in making performance
attributions are more effective in correcting performance deficiencies and thus
more effective and managers who are perceived to be non-susceptible to
gender biases in making performance attributions obtain higher perceptions
of leadership from their subordinates.

P3b. Managers who are not susceptible to racial biases in making performance
attributions are more effective in correcting performance deficiencies and thus
more effective and managers who are perceived to be non-susceptible to racial
biases in making performance attributions obtain higher perceptions of
leadership from their subordinates.

P3c. Managers who are not susceptible to self-serving attributional biases are
more effective in correcting performance deficiencies and thus more effective
and managers who are perceived to be non-susceptible to self-serving
attributional biases obtain higher perceptions of leadership from their
subordinates.


P4a. Managers who make (self) internal attributions for poor unit performance
look more within themselves for reasons for poor unit performance, develop
plans to correct performance deficiencies, and thereby are more effective.

P4b. Managers who make (self) internal attributions for poor unit performance
look more within themselves for reasons for poor unit performance, and
develop plans to correct performance deficiencies, obtain higher leadership
perceptions from their unit members.

P5a. Managers who attribute unit successes to unit members, enhance the
motivation and satisfaction of those members and are thus more effective.

P5b. Managers who attribute unit successes to unit members obtain higher
perceptions of leadership from them.

P6. Managerial interactive behaviors resulting from accurate attributions are
positive, and help remove subordinate uncertainty and apprehension, thereby
contributing to subordinate self-efficacy, satisfaction and motivation.

P7. Low feedback latency and undistorted feedback on the part of leaders,
resulting from their accurate attributions, serve to enhance subordinate
self-efficacy and remove uncertainty and apprehension.


P8. Managerial strategies for correcting performance deficiencies, resulting from
an internal focus and accurate attributions, serve to enhance subordinate
satisfaction, and motivation.

P9. Enhanced levels of subordinate self-efficacy, satisfaction, and motivation
mediate the impact of functional attributions and behaviors on subordinate
and unit performance and perceptions of leadership.

This is paper is cited in many further papers.