Abstract

This thesis outlines the emergence of the construct of relational leadership interventionary behaviour, defined as a leader’s ability to foster an inclusive workgroup climate and enact effective third-party interpersonal interventions through displays of social awareness, proactivity and positive intentions. Across five studies and using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, three emergent dimensions were confirmed and efforts were taken to create a measure of the construct. Based on the results obtained from 40 in-depth interviews and 739 survey respondents, the relational leadership interventionary behaviour scale (RELIB) possessed convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity was demonstrated through the scale’s relation with workplace ostracism, job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviour, safety climate, well-being and task performance. Additionally, evidence supported the scale’s test-retest validity and predictive validity over and above leader-member exchange and perceived leader emotional intelligence. Overall, the measure was found to be both reliable and valid, with important implications for a variety of individual work attitudes and organizational outcomes.