Implicit Theories of Relationships in Leadership: Managing Organizational Conflict and Building Follower Bonds

ABSTRACT The implicit theory of relationships states that implicit relationships depend on individuals' perceptions and attitudes and offers two beliefs, growth and destiny. The purpose of this study is to discover the leadership's implicit theory of relationships in the organization and to investigate the effect of this theory on the conflict management style of organizational leaders. In study 1, the researchers used phenomenological research methods and semistructured interview tools. 26 leaders were interviewed, and their attitudes and implicit thoughts about their relationship with followers were discovered and structured into four types: developmental, selective, functional, and structured theories. In study 2, a quantitative method was used to examine the leadership's implicit theory of relationships of 231 leaders and the impact of their implicit theory on their conflict management style. The results showed that the leaders who had a developmental and structured implicit theory had an agreement conflict management style. Leaders with selective implicit theory had an agreement and attack conflict management style, and leaders with functional implicit theory had an agreement and avoidance conflict management style. This study could expand the multidimensional nature of LITR beyond the growth–destiny framework. Conflict management, as a critical component of the leader's role, helps to explore how implicit theories influence leaders' preferred approach to conflict resolution. Providing a new model that links implicit theories to organizational outcomes and addresses gaps contributes to the growing field of study of relational leadership.