Transformational and shared leadership relationships with employee performance and intention to leave among IT knowledge workers: mediating effects of communication quality and organizational commitment

Purpose This study investigates the role of transformational and shared leadership in relation to employee performance and intention to leave. Moreover, the indirect effects of communication quality and organizational commitment on these relationships were examined. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study adopted a quantitative approach. Information technology knowledge workers ( n = 291) employed in high-tech companies based in Poland completed an online questionnaire comprising items pertaining to six established constructs. After establishing the factor structure and convergent/discriminant validity of the measures, the responses were subjected to mediation analysis in AMOS to investigate direct and indirect effects. Findings Transformational leadership produced a direct negative effect on the intention to leave, while shared leadership produced a direct positive effect on employee performance. Mediators boosted relationships, especially in the case of shared leadership. Originality/value This study highlights the need to explore multiple leadership styles simultaneously and supports the principles underlying adaptive leadership theory. It also promotes the need to explore the influence of mediators to better understand the effects of leadership on followers.