Week 2: Stam, Van Knippenberg, Wisse & Nederveen Pierse (2018) Motivation in words: Promotion- and Prevention-oriented leader communication in times of crisis

Question 1

Stam, D., Van Knippenberg, D., Wisse, B., & Nederveen Pieterse, A. (2018). Motivation in words: Promotion-and prevention-oriented leader communication in time of crisis. Journal of management, 44, 2859-2887.

What did Stam, Van Knippenberg and Wisse (2018) want to investigate with their research?

a. What effective leadership is in time of crisis
b. What charismatic traits need to be developed to be endorsed in times of crisis
c. What leaders should communicate in order to be endorsed in difficult times
d. How leaders must behave to gain followers acceptance.

Answer 1

c.

Question 2

Stam and team investigated what?

Answer 2

what leaders should communicate in order to be endorsed in difficult times

Question 3

Stams et al. paper leans on what motivational theory?

Answer 3

Regulatory Fit/Focus Theory (Higgins)

Question 4

What are the two communicational styles that affect presumptuously leader endorsement in times of crisis?

Answer 4

Promotion vs prevention focus

Question 5

For a promotion-oriented person, the motivating force is _____.

For a prevention-focussed person, the motivating force is _____.

Answer 5

approach of pleasure

avoidance of pain

Question 6

Promotion-focussed individuals are eager to ____, emphasise ____ and focus on ____.

Prevention-focussed individuals are _____, avoid ____ and set _____.

Answer 6

achieve, ideaLs, goals

careful, threats, prevention goals

Question 7

Promotion-focussed communication has a great emphasis on ____, ____ and ____.

Prevention-focussed communication has a great emphasis on ____, ____ and ____.

Answer 7

ideals, growth, achievement

responsibilities, safety, vigilance

Question 8

The promotion- vs prevention-focus is based on what principle?

Answer 8

the hedonic principle: one is either motivated to avoid pain or approach pleasure

Question 9

Leader endorsement is the…

Answer 9

voluntary acceptance of and cooperation with a leader (e.g. voting)

Question 10

A crisis is an event with unclear ____, ____ and ____, and when decisions have to be made under _____.

Answer 10

cause, effect and resolution

time pressure

Question 11

A crisis carries a strong _____ component and can cause stress, negative emotions and ambiguity.

Leaders who are _____ are more often endorsed in times of crises.

Answer 11

psychological

charismatic

Question 12

Promotion-focussed individuals endorse leaders who have ____-orientation.

Prevention-focussed individuals endorse leaders who have a ____-orientation.

Answer 12

promotion

prevention

Question 13

In what way do research on the regulatory fit theory and research on charismatic and transformational leadership contradict each other with regards to leader endorsement?

Answer 13

Regulatory Fit: in times of crises, prevention-oriented communication leads to higher leader endorsement

Charismatic/Trans.: in times of crises, promotion-oriented communication leads to higher leader endorsement

Question 14

Stam et al. went through three studies to study communication orientation in its effect on leader endorsement.

What are the three studies?

Answer 14

1. investigation on US presidential endorsement
2. contrasting a promotion- against a prevention-oriented speech and in that way manipulating regulatory orientation of leader communication
3. participants play the role of a board member

Question 15

Stam et al. found that promotion-orientated communication in times of crisis has three significant effects.

What are they?

Answer 15

promotion-oriented communication

1. is a significant positive predictor of leader endorsement (only in crisis)
2. leads to greater motivation to attain the leader’s plans (in crisis)
3. can lead to re-election success/presidential greatness (only in crisis)

Question 16

Of the three findings, which ones were significant only in times of crisis?

Answer 16

promotion-oriented communication is a significant positive predictor of leader endorsement

promotion-oriented communication can lead to re-election success/presidential greatness

Question 17

Stam et al. suggest leadership development should focus on developing _____ skills to help leaders to effectively lead _____.

Answer 17

promotion-oriented

in times of crises

Question 18

What was the result of Study 1 (of three)?

Answer 18

when economic circumstances are worse than average, promotion-oriented leaders are more likely to be endorsed

Question 19

What was the result of Study 2?

Answer 19

in times of crises, promotion-oriented leadership leads to greater enacted motivation to realise a leader’s plans

Question 20

What was the result of Study 2?

Answer 20

in times of crises, promotion-oriented communication affects leader endorsement through the motivation to realise a leaders plans more than in times of prosperity

Question 21

The paper shows that in times of crises, people tend to turn to those, who communicate ______.

Answer 21

promotion-orientation

Question 22

Stam et al. criticise that previous studies explain how a leader should behave but have failed to address what exactly….

Answer 22

in a leaders communication affects his endorsement in times of crisis