Effect of Occupational Stress on Executives' Leadership Styles

Abstract

In the present investigation an attempt was made to explore the influencing effect of occupational stress on the executive's leadership style. The occupational stress index developed by Shrivastava and Singh (1981) and Managerial Styles developed by McBer & Co. (1980) were administered on a sample of 388 Executives of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd., Neyveli. The inferential statistical techniques, Chi-Square Test and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were applied for determining the effect of occupational stress as an influencer of leadership styles. The correlation analysis suggests that presence of the occupational stressors influences positively the coercieve and authoritative leadership styles and influences negatively the affiliative, democratic, pace-setting and coaching styles. The Chi-Square Test also confirms the presence of association between stressors and leadership styles.