Follower attribution analysis in an Air Traffic Control environment: an unconventional leadership challenge

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to ascertain the relationship between the difference in the way leaders think they are being perceived by their followers and how they are actually being perceived, and the level of morale of such followers. It was completed in an operational Air Traffic Control (ATC) centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, and focused on four middle managers and their team of ATC followers. The process was viewed from a followership perspective, and the Attribution Theory of leadership applied to study follower perceptions of leader attributions. Methodology: A parallel-convergent mixed-method approach was utilised, with primary quantitative and qualitative data collected concurrently from leaders and followers in interview and survey format. Results were merged using triangulation, before being autoethnographically interpreted. Scope and Limitations: The study researched individual ATC middle managers and their followers at the researched ATC centre, resulting in a scope that includes four leaders and 105 followers. It did not include any other staff as part of the research, and focused on a specific set of people within the researched centre. The study was limited to the researched ATC centre at the researched company only. The low morale in the researched centre could be due to various other causes such as working conditions, unhappiness with upper management (not middle management), compensational disagreements and company policy issues. Whilst excluded in this study, they are conceded and suggested for future research. Originality and Value: This research is original, and will add value to the researched company by enabling them to understand and address one of the causes for low morale in the researched centre. Its value to the body of knowledge resides therein that it is the only research to date in the narrow field of followership and the Attribution Theory of leadership combined and applied in the South African ATC leadership environment. Findings and Recommendations: Research data points to a definite discrepancy between leader perception of follower attributions and actual follower attributions. Additionally, it proves that in this specific setting the more negative this discrepancy, the lower follower morale becomes. ATNS should consider remedial training for affected managers to develop deficient attributions and sufficiently equip them to deal with the low morale problem.