Date

11-13-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Benjamin Wood

Keywords

leadership, leader-member exchange, conscientiousness

Disciplines

Leadership Studies | Psychology

Abstract

Effective leadership is a vital component of an organization’s viability and competitive edge in today’s complex and dynamic environments. Leadership is not a one-directional act but instead a reciprocal process that shapes both individual experiences and organizational outcomes. Despite recognition of this reciprocal nature, a gap remains in understanding how specific contextual factors, such as individual personality traits or work environment, affect the quality of leader-member exchanges. At the same time, workplace relationships are undergoing momentous change and transformation as organizations shift between traditional, hybrid, and remote models in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the influence of follower conscientiousness on LMX quality and the moderating role of work environment. Results revealed three key findings: (1) follower conscientiousness was significantly and positively associated with LMX quality; (2) the relationship was linear with no evidence of curvilinear effects; and (3) work environment moderated this relationship with follower conscientiousness predicting LMX quality in in-person environments but not in remote or hybrid. These findings suggest that leaders and organizations who fail to adapt to context risk undervaluing conscientious employees and weaking leader-follower relationships. Acknowledging and recognizing how work environment shapes the expression of conscientiousness, enables organizations and leaders alike to better build and support strong relationships, retain talent, and sustain performance across diverse work arrangements.

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