Calling for Authentic Leadership: The Moderator Role of Calling on the Relationship between Authentic Leadership and Work Engagement

Victor Seco, Miguel Pereira Lopes

Social and Political Sciences Institute, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.

DOI: 10.4236/ojl.2013.24015                

Abstract

Authentic Leadership (AL) literature supports the existence of a positive relationship between perceived AL, follower work engagement, and positive attitudes like calling. Our research doesn’t confirm that relationship and fosters the possibility of AL influence could not be felt by employees. It was also expected, theoretically, a positive effect of Calling as well as with trust. We have found a significant negative effect on the relationship between AL and calling. But our findings brought some positive insights. There was a positive significant relationship between calling and work engagement. Calling had also moderated, with a positive significant result, the relationship between AL and work engagement. Future research should focus on the importance of perceived AL within the education public services, and the significant effect of calling on work engagement. Our study suggests that organizations could promote employee calling work orientation, stimulate leaders to become more authentic, and improve positively organization performance.

Keywords

Work Engagement; Authentic Leadership; Work Orientations; Calling

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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