The effect of rural superintendent credibility on principal and district outcomes mediated by motivating language

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the influence of rural superintendent’s talk on the perceived outcomes of principal communication competence and organizational communication satisfaction. More specifically, this study explored whether the source credibility dimensions of goodwill, competency and trustworthiness had a greater impact on the perceived outcomes when mediated by motivating language (ML) than not.Design/methodology/approachDirect and indirect paths between superintendent and principal communication were modeled, analyzed and evaluated using descriptive and inferential methods, including R version 3.6.1 with the lavaan package and the Sobel mediation test.FindingsResearch findings indicated the importance of superintendent talk and motivating language theory (MLT) that, when combined, constitute the medium of superintendent practice and enable a superintendent to execute their roles and duties. Additionally, the authors found the dimensions of goodwill and competency had the most significant impact on the two outcomes mediated by ML. This finding indicates that principals are calling for a more empathetic and interactive form of credibility than the long-established form of credibility based on expertise and stewardship. Finally, as the authors call for an expanded role from the community in research, scholarship and implementation of MLT, they suggest due to the lack of significance in trustworthiness mediated by ML, future research into trustworthiness and trust.Originality/valueThis study’s value is to increase understanding of educational administration scholars of MLT and its power to influence employee and organizational outcomes and highlight a reframing of superintendent credibility away from say and do agreement and expertise and stewardship.

Can We Talk? Improving Employee Contextual Performance Using Motivating Language and Feedback Orientation

This study sought to determine whether motivating language theory and feedback orientation theory connect, and if so, whether or not this impacts employee contextual performance in the workplace. Survey data was collected from 458 individuals (142 undergraduate students, and a national sample of 316 employees). Statistically significant relationships were observed between motivating language and feedback orientation, between motivating language and contextual performance, and between feedback orientation and contextual performance. Feedback orientation was found to moderate the relationship between motivating language and contextual performance. Implications and generalizability of these theories to other settings are presented.

Fostering Employee Trust via Effective Supervisory Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of Motivating Language Theory

This study examines how supervisory leadership communication during the COVID-19 pandemic fostered employee trust through the lens of motivating language theory. Drawing insight from self-determination theory, this study also reveals the mediating effects of employees’ psychological need satisfaction for competence and relatedness in this process, which help explain how supervisory leadership communication influences employee trust. Through an online survey of 393 full-time employees from various organizations in the U.S., results showed that supervisory use of meaning-making (0.15), empathetic (0.60), and direction-giving language (0.27) during the pandemic all showed significant positive effects on employee trust toward leadership and the organization directly, and indirectly through satisfying employees’ psychological need for competence and relatedness. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The Predictive Effect of Teachers’ Perception of School Principals’ Motivating Language on Teachers’ Self-Efficacy via a Cultural Context

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between teachers’ perception of school principals’ motivating language and teachers’ self-efficacy mediated by the cultural context. School principals’ linguistic communication skills are critical to sustain the motivation of teachers and their self-efficacy. Motivating language theory (MLT), on which this study is based, provides a model that helps us understand how the language, more precisely, the speech acts, used by school principals have an impact on teachers’ self-efficacy. A survey method was employed with 252 teachers through convenience sampling. The teachers’ mean age was 34.87 (SD = 9.22) years, and the average length of service was 11.72 (SD = 9.42) years. The results showed that school principals’ use of motivating language was significantly and positively associated with teachers’ self-efficacy (b = 0.10, p < 0.000). The low-context culture was found to have a full mediating effect in this relationship (b = 0.04, t = 3.1771, p < 0.000). The findings contribute to leader communication theory by highlighting a particular emphasis on the language school principals use to motivate teachers.

Motivating language and employee outcomes: a multinational investigation

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of managerial use of motivating language on employee absenteeism, turnover intention, job satisfaction and job performance for employees from three nations: India, the USA and Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach Data is collected from 614 employees working in India, the USA and Vietnam. A variance-based partial least squares structural equation modeling technique is used to test the hypotheses. In addition, a statistical test is used to examine the statistical differences in the results across the three nations. Findings The findings are consistent with the motivating language theory, in that managerial use of motivating language can be an effective strategy in motivating employees. Specifically, motivating language is found to significantly decrease employee absenteeism and turnover intention, as well as significantly increase job satisfaction and performance across the three nations. The effect sizes indicate that, across all samples, motivating language has a medium effect for all employee outcomes, except absenteeism, which is shown to have a small effect size. Moreover, the results indicate that employees in different cultures perceive and interpret the leader’s use of motivating language in different ways. Whereas motivating language may receive greater success in promoting workers’ job performance in eastern cultures, it is also more effective in retaining employees in western cultures. Originality/value The study adds to the literature in three major ways. First, it provides evidence for two understudied relationships: motivating language and absenteeism and motivating language and turnover intention. Second, it assesses the generalizability of the motivating language theory by investigating data from India, the USA and Vietnam. Finally, this paper offers a statistical comparison of the three samples to analyze how the relationship between motivating language and worker outcomes differ among the three samples.

Start with why: and answer with motivating language

Purpose The purpose of this conceptual paper is to increase the leadership and organizational effectiveness concepts presented by Simon Sinek in his 2009 book “Start with Why” by connecting them to Motivating Language Theory and presenting the integrated framework within a double-loop organizational and developmental learning model. Design/methodology/approach The approach of this conceptual paper is to link Sinek’s concepts WHY/HOW/WHAT with Motivating Language Theory’s constructs Meaning-Making Language/Empathetic Language/Direction-Giving Language to support deeper implementation as well as maximize implementation of WHY/HOW/WHAT through implementation of the higher-level variable Motivating Language. Additionally, this conceptual paper expands upon Sinek’s discussion of process and outcomes through the illustration of a double-loop organizational learning and development model that highlights data-driven decision-making, working from the inside-out organizational processes, and the connection between outcomes and reflection to improve organizational work. Findings The findings of this conceptual paper are motivating language theory can enhance and extend Sinek’s organizational and leadership assertions, and the creation of a double-loop organizational learning and development model provides greater clarity and insight to Sinek’s initial concepts presented in Start with Why. These findings provide practitioners greater tools and resources for implementation in the field as well as continue to provide scholars with an ongoing thread of connections and applications of Motivating Language Theory. Originality/value The originality of this conceptual paper builds off Sinek’s assertion that communication is vital to leaders and organizations by giving it context and specificity in the form of a well-established leadership and organizational communication theory.

Reframing organizations through leadership communications: the four-frames of leadership viewed through motivating language

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to integrate the Bolman and Deal’s (2017) Four Frames of Reframing Organizations with the Mayfield and Mayfield (2018) Motivating Language Theory so that those who lead organizations can better do so and those who guide the improvement and development of organizations can better prepare organizational managers/leaders. Design/methodology/approach Through the fusion of the Four-Frames Assumptions and Motivating Language Categorical Forms into one integration table, linkages and connections between the two frameworks are identified. Findings The findings of this work provide a “voice” to the Four Frames of Reframing Organizations and extend the field Motivating Language Theory as the medium of leader praxis. Research limitations/implications The implications for researchers are new opportunities for research and teaching. Practical implications The implications for those in the field are new opportunities for leader development and training leading to improved outcomes for employees and organizations. Originality/value This is the first integration of the Four-Frames and Motivating Language Theory extending and enriching both fields.

Motivating Language Intensity: A Study of Wyoming Superintendents Motivating Language Use as Perceived by Their Principals

The purpose of this study was to extend the field of motivating language theory (MLT) by providing a conceptual framework and methodology for determining low-ML and high-ML leader levels. This quantitative study, specifically, studied the Motivating Language of Wyoming K-12 superintendents operating in the role of CEOs as perceived by their principals. The results of this study found that Wyoming Superintendents with high-ML levels positively influencing employee outcomes in the areas of communication satisfaction, communication competence as well as organizational outcomes in the area of leader effectiveness. Finally, because of this study, two nascent ideas of leaders and leadership within the context of MLT have emerged: (a) the ML Intensity Score Composition and (b) the 3-D MLT Typology Matrix.