Perceptions of leader transformational ability : The role of leader speech and follower self‐esteem

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the role of speech on transformational leadership attributions and the role of follower self‐esteem in fostering the relationship between followers and their leaders. Design/methodology/approach – Survey research was used testing specific relationships. A 2‐by‐2 experimental design was conducted including treatments of leader speech and attributes with follower self‐esteem acting as a covariate. Findings – Significant relationships between most attributions of transformational leadership and follower self‐esteem were found. Inspirational leader speeches were found to lead to higher levels of attributed transformational abilities. Research limitations/implications – It is suggested that there are contextual differences between different types of transformational relationships. Researchers are invited to distinguish between different types of charisma (social charisma vs business charisma). Practical implications – Although the use of appropriate speech is an influential asset for the transformational leader, effective leadership does not solely depend on it. Organizations may benefit from inculcating communication training programs into their training agenda towards elevating their trainees to a higher level of leadership capability. Originality/value – Leadership research has been heavily dominated by an overriding focus on leader attributes. This study concentrates on a specific leader impression management behavior (speech) and inculcates a follower variable (self‐esteem) into the equation towards a better understanding of the leadership phenomenon.