Leader Ingratiatory Impression Management and Subordinate Job Involvement in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the relationship between leader ingratiatory impression management and subordinate job involvement in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria. Using questionnaire as the main research instrument, data were collected from a sample of 306 employees of 6 telecommunication firms that are operational. A total of 279 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved representing 91% response rate. Demographic characteristics of respondents are presented in form of distribution with emphasis on gender, academic qualification, status and tenure, while Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient was utilized to test the hypothesized statements using the SPSS software version 21. The results revealed that: (1) leader other-enhancement ingratiatory strategy significantly associated with job involvement; (2) leader opinion conformity ingratiatory strategy is significantly associated with subordinate job involvement; (3) leader self-presentation ingratiatory strategy is significantly associated with subordinate job involvement; and (4) leader favour-doing ingratiatory strategy is significantly associated with subordinate job involvement. The study concluded that leaders who effectively ingratiate their subordinates prompt them to be job involved for maximal performance. The study recommended that: (a) Managers in the Nigerian telecommunication industry should effectively ingratiate their subordinates to enhance their expanse of likeability and attractiveness to them. This will vitalise good quality exchanges, and result in subordinate attitudinal and behavioural compliance. (b) Managers in the focal industry should effectively ingratiate their constituents based on goal-relevance and value-orientedness to harness social influence and power. (c) Managers in the Nigerian telecommunication industry should effectively ingratiate their subordinates to elicit their pristine emotions that can interface with rational analysis. (d) Managers, in the firms investigated, should effectively ingratiate their constituents to earn positive evaluation and admiration earn social influence and power.

Keywords: leader ingratiatory impression management, leader other-enhancement, leader opinion-conformity, leader favour-doing, leader self-presentation, subordinate job involvement