Leaders are constantly seeking effective strategies to boost employee engagement. One approach that has gained significant attention is engaging leadership, a style that emphasises fulfilling employees’ core psychological needs to enhance their motivation and commitment. Recent research integrating the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model sheds light on how engaging leadership can be a catalyst for higher work engagement. 

Understanding engaging leadership 

Engaging leadership is rooted in the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), which posits that individuals have innate psychological needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. According to Schaufeli (2015), engaging leaders fulfil these needs by: 

  1. Inspiring: they enthuse their followers with a compelling vision and plans, igniting passion and purpose. 
  2. Strengthening: they delegate tasks, providing a high degree of autonomy and responsibility, thereby enhancing employees’ sense of competence. 
  3. Connecting: they foster collaboration and open communication, building strong interpersonal relationships within the team. 

By focusing on these three aspects – inspiring, strengthening, and connecting – engaging leaders create an environment where employees feel valued and empowered, which in turn boosts their level of engagement (Rahmadani et al., 2020). 

Linking engaging leadership to work engagement 

A comprehensive meta-analysis by Mazzetti et al. (2023) titled “Work Engagement: A Meta-Analysis Using the Job Demands-Resources Model” provides empirical support for the impact of engaging leadership on work engagement. The study analysed 533 correlations from 113 independent samples, encompassing over 119,000 participants. 

Key findings include: 

  • Personal resources as strong predictors: personal resources, defined as positive cognitions and self-evaluations concerning employees’ perceptions of their ability to control and impact their environment (Xanthopoulou et al., 2009), showed the highest effect size on work engagement (r = .48). This underscores the significance of self-efficacy and optimism in fostering engagement. 
  • Role of engaging leadership: while the study primarily categorised resources into job, social, developmental, and personal, engaging leadership directly influences these resources by fulfilling employees’ psychological needs. Engaging leaders enhance personal resources by empowering employees, thereby boosting their confidence and capability. 
  • Satisfaction of psychological needs: The alignment with Self-Determination Theory suggests that when leaders meet employees’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, work engagement naturally increases. Engaging leadership practices directly contribute to this satisfaction. 

The Primary Colours® Model of Leadership and engaging leadership: a synergistic approach to boosting work engagement 

In the modern workplace, leadership is key to driving employee engagement. David Pendleton’s Primary Colours® of Leadership model offers a framework that aligns closely with the principles of engaging leadership, which emphasises inspiring, empowering, and connecting employees to fulfil their core psychological needs. These two leadership concepts are not only complementary but also essential for creating a highly engaged and motivated workforce. By blending the Primary Colours® of Leadership with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, we can better understand how leaders can elevate work engagement. 

David Pendleton’s Primary Colours Model identifies three essential domains for effective leadership: 

  1. Strategic: leaders inspire their team with a compelling vision, creating motivation and a shared sense of purpose. 
  2. Operational: leaders empower their employees by delegating responsibilities, allowing them to take ownership of tasks and fostering a sense of competence. 
  3. Interpersonal: leaders build strong interpersonal relationships through collaboration and open communication, fostering trust and a sense of belonging. 

These core domains capture the essence of what effective leadership should achieve – balancing vision, empowerment, and connection to meet the diverse needs of employees. 

Practical implications for leaders 

For organisations aiming to enhance employee engagement, integrating engaging leadership practices can be transformative: 

  1. Inspire your team: communicate a clear and compelling vision. Share plans enthusiastically to align employees with organisational goals and instil a sense of purpose. 
  2. Strengthen through empowerment: delegate meaningful tasks and grant autonomy. Encourage decision-making and problem-solving, which enhances competence and confidence. 
  3. Connect and collaborate: foster a collaborative environment. Promote open communication and team-building activities to strengthen relationships and a sense of belonging. 

The synergy of leadership and personal resources 

The interplay between engaging leadership and personal resources is crucial. Leaders who adopt engaging practices not only improve the immediate work environment but also enhance employees’ personal resources. This creates a positive feedback loop where empowered employees are more engaged, productive, and committed. 

Engaging leadership is more than just a management style – it’s a catalyst for unlocking employee potential and enhancing engagement. Engaging leadership emerges as a vital strategy for elevating work engagement. By fulfilling employees’ innate psychological needs and enhancing their personal resources, leaders can cultivate a motivated and resilient workforce. The findings of Mazzetti et al. (2023) reinforce the importance of leadership styles that prioritise employee wellbeing and development. 

By embracing engaging leadership, organisations can not only improve employee engagement but also drive overall performance and success. It’s a leadership style that meets the moment – addressing the needs of employees in a holistic and empowering way. It’s time for leaders at all levels to adopt these practices and witness the transformative impact on their teams. We have been working with our clients to transform organisational performance by improving leadership and engagement for over 30 years. Talk to us to find out how we can help you.

References: 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. 
  • Mazzetti, G., Robledo, E., Vignoli, M., Topa, G., Guglielmi, D., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2023). Work Engagement: A Meta-Analysis Using the Job Demands-Resources Model. Psychological Reports, 126(3), 1069–1107. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211051988 
  • Rahmadani, V. G., Schaufeli, W. B., Stouten, J., Zhang, Z., & Zulkarnain, Z. (2020). Engaging Leadership and Its Implication for Work Engagement and Job Outcomes at the Individual and Team Level: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 776. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030776 
  • Xanthopoulou, D., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2009). Reciprocal Relationships Between Job Resources, Personal Resources, and Work Engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(3), 235–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2008.11.003