Do Transformational Leaders Affect Turnover Intentions and Extra Role Behaviors Through Mission Valence?
Although transformational leadership and mission valence have been linked separately to desirable work related attitudes, research has not fully considered how these two factors work together. In fact, both these value based concepts emphasize the motivational properties of an agency's mission. In this study, a causal model was developed to explore how transformational leadership and mission valence interact to influence turnover intentions and extra role behaviors. The model was tested using survey data from U.S. public sector employees. The results showed that transformational leadership had a direct, negative association with turnover intentions. Furthermore, the relationship between transformational leadership and turnover intentions was partially mediated by mission valence, whereas the relationship between transformational leadership and extra role behaviors was fully mediated by mission valence. The implications of these findings for both theory and practice in public organizations are discussed.