Ethical leadership, group learning behaviour and group cohesion in the energy sector: a psycho-social model

Abstract

Orientation: At present, it is essential for organisations to have a sound ethical context which will enable the organisation to achieve sustainability, and to maintain a positive corporate image. For these reasons, ethical leadership has garnered increased attention from academics and practitioners alike. Research purpose: The purpose of the present study was to describe the phenomenological experiences of employees’ group learning behaviour and group cohesion as predisposed by ethical leadership, and to develop a psycho-social model that describes the influence of ethical leadership on group learning behaviour and group cohesion in the South African energy sector. Motivation for the study: Ethical leadership is regarded as a key resource that can either reinforce or deteriorate the manifestation of ethical behaviour within organisations. A learning organisation is one that is continuously increasing its capacity to create its future. Thus, groups have become the basis that enables organisations to adapt to the emerging pressures in today’s world of work. Research design: The study applied a qualitative approach within an interpretive framework. The research strategy led to an inquiry into the lived experiences of employees’ group learning behaviour and group cohesion as predisposed by ethical leadership. Purposive sampling, of eight individuals enabled a research method of face-to-face interviews and two focus group sessions to be conducted. Data was analysed by means of the content analysis technique. Main findings: The general perception held by individuals may be that an ethical leader will yield an efficient and productive group or team, while an unethical leader will yield the opposite. This is not always the case, as was demonstrated by the findings in present research iv study. The study found that leaders who were perceived as unethical displayed the same personal characteristics and showed only slightly deviated behavioural characteristics from those who were regarded as ethical. With regard to leaders influencing groups or teams, although ethical leadership demonstrated a higher likelihood of influence, the study found that other mediating factors play a role in this link as well. Contribution/value added: The projected practical contribution of the study involves an understanding of development of, and the potential application of the psycho-social model which will be able to accentuate the importance of leadership within group dynamics. An additional contribution pertains to the practical application of the findings which may also be used as a coaching or consulting tool within organisations to assist leaders in their leadership roles.

Tlwaetsomafulo: Ga jaana go botlhokwa gore ditheo di nne le maitsholo a a siameng go di kgontsha go fitlhelela tsweletsego le go tsweletsa selebo se se siameng sa setheo. Ka ntlha ya seno, boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng bo gapile leitlho la barutegi le baeteledipele. Maikemisetso a patlisiso: Maikemisetso a thutopatlisiso ya ga jaana e ne e le go tlhalosa maitemogelo a tiragatso a badiri ka maitsholo a go ithuta ka setlhopha le tirisanommogo ya setlhopha jaaka e tlhagisiwa ke boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng, le go tlhama sekao sa tlhaloganyo-loago se se tlhalosang tlhotlheletso ya boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng mo maitsholong a go ithuta ka setlhopha le tirisanommogo ya setlhopha mo lephateng la maatla la Aforikaborwa. Tlhotlheletso ya thutopatlisiso: Boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng bo tsewa e le tlamelo ya botlhokwa e e ka tiisang gongwe ya koafatsa tiragatso ya maitsholo a a siameng mo ditheong. Setheo se se ithutang ke se se tswelelang go oketsa bokgoni jwa sona go aga isago ya sona. Ka jalo, ditlhopha ke ona motheo o o kgontshang ditheo go itlwaetsa dikgatelelo tse di tlhagelelang tsa tikologo ya tiro ya gompieno. Thadiso ya patlisiso: Thutopatlisiso e dirisitse molebo wa khwalitatifi mo letlhomesong la thanolo. Togamaano ya patlisiso e lebisitse kwa tlhotlhomisong ya maitemogelo a nnete a badiri a maitsholo a go ithuta ka setlhopha le tirisanommogo ya setlhopha jaaka di tlhagisiwa ke boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng. Go tlhophilwe sampole go ya ka maikemisetso a patlisiso mme ga tlhophiwa batho ba le robedi mme seno sa kgontsha gore go dirwe mmeo wa patlisiso wa dipotsotherisano tsa namana le ditlhophapuisano tse pedi. Data e lokolotswe ka thekeniki ya tokololo ya diteng.

Diphitlhelelodikgolo: Ka kakaretso batho ba ka bona e kete moeteledipele yo o nang le maitsholo a a siameng o tlaa tlhagisa setlhopha se se nonofileng e bile se tlhagisa bontle, fa moeteledipele yo o se nang maitsholo a a siameng a tlaa tlhagisa se se fapaaneng le seo. Ga go jalo ka metlha jaaka go bontshitswe ke diphitlhelelo mo thutopatlisisong ya ga jaana. Thutopatlisiso e fitlhetse gore baeteledipele ba ba tsewang ba se na maitsholo a a siameng ba bontshitse dintlhatheo tsa sebele tse di tshwanang le tsa ba ba tsewang ba na le maitsholo a a siameng fela ba bontshitse dintlhatheo tse di farologaneng go se kae tsa maitsholo. Malebana le gore baeteledipele ba tlhotlheletsa ditlhopha, le fa boeteledipele jo bo tsamaisiwang ka maitsholo a a siameng bo bontshitse kgonagalo e e kwa godingwana ya tlhotlheletso, thutopatlisiso e fitlhetse gore go na le dintlha tse dingwe tsa tsereganyo tse di nang le seabe mo ntlheng eno. Kakgelo/boleng jo bo okeditsweng: Kakgelo e e bonelwang pele ya thutopatlisiso e akaretsa go tlhaloganya go tlhamiwa le tiriso ya sekao sa tlhaloganyo-loago go bontsha botlhokwa jwa boeteledipele mo setlhopheng. Kakgelo ya tlaleletso e ka ga tiriso ya nnete ya diphitlhelelo e le yona e ka dirisiwang jaaka sediriswa sa go katisa gongwe go gakolola mo ditheong go thusa baeteledipele mo ditirong tsa bona tsa boeteledipele.

Oriëntering: Dit is deesdae noodsaaklik vir organisasies om ‘n gesonde etiese konteks te hê om die organisasie in staat te stel om volhoubaarheid te bereik en ‘n positiewe korporatiewe beeld te handhaaf. As gevolg hiervan het etiese leierskap toenemend belangstelling van akademici sowel as praktisyns ontlok. Navorsingsdoel: Die doel van die studie was om die fenomenologiese ervarings van werknemers se groepsleergedrag en groepskohesie soos deur etiese leierskap bepaal te beskryf, en om ‘n psigososiale model te ontwikkel wat die invloed van etiese leierskap op groepsleergedrag en groepskohesie in die Suid-Afrikaanse energiesektor beskryf. Motivering vir die studie: Etiese leierskap word beskou as ‘n sleutelhulpbron wat die manifestasie van etiese gedrag in organisasies hetsy kan versterk of verswak. ‘n Leerorganisasie is ‘n organisasie wat sy kapasiteit om sy toekoms te skep deurlopend verbeter. Groepe het dus die grondslag geword wat organisasies in staat stel om by die toenemende druk in die hedendaagse wêreld van werk aan te pas. Navorsingsontwerp: Die studie het ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering binne ‘n interpretatiewe raamwerk toegepas. Die navorsingstrategie het gelei tot ‘n ondersoek na die geleefde ervarings van werknemers se groepsleergedrag en groepskohesie soos deur etiese leierskap bepaal. Doelgerigte steekproefneming van agt individue het ‘n navorsingsmetode van persoonlike onderhoude en twee fokusgroepsessies moontlik gemaak. Data is deur middel van die inhoudsontledingstegniek ontleed.

Hoofbevindings: Die algemene persepsie van individue is dat ‘n etiese leier tot ‘n doeltreffende en produktiewe groep of span sal lei, terwyl ‘n onetiese leier die teenoorgestelde resultaat sal lewer. Dit is egter nie altyd die geval nie, soos deur die bevindings in hierdie navorsingstudie gedemonstreer is. Die studie het bevind dat leiers wat as oneties beskou word, dieselfde karaktereienskappe getoon het en dat hulle gedragskenmerke slegs in ‘n geringe mate verskil van diegene wat as eties beskou is. Met betrekking tot die invloed wat leiers op groepe en spanne het, het die studie bevind dat ofskoon etiese leierskap ‘n hoër waarskynlikheid van invloed getoon het, ander bemiddelende faktore ook hier ‘n rol gespeel het. Bydrae/waarde toegevoeg: Die beoogde praktiese bydrae van die studie behels ‘n begrip van die ontwikkeling en potensiële toepassing van die psigososiale model ten einde die belangrikheid van leierskap in groepsdinamiek te beklemtoon. ‘n Bykomende bydrae het betrekking op die praktiese toepassing van die bevindings, wat ook as ‘n afrigtings- of konsultasie-instrument in organisasies gebruik kan word om leiers in hul leierskaprolle te help.