Effects of leaders' motivational language on employee performance: A mediation model using Korean bank tellers

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of leaders' motivational language on their subordinates' performance. Using a sample of 180 Korean bank tellers, we examine the effects of motivational language (direction-giving, empathetic, and meanmg-making language) on performance (decision-making and adaptive performance) mediated by self-efficacy. The findings reveal that (a) self-efficacy partially mediates the relations between leaders' motivational language and bank tellers' decision-making; and (b) self-efficacy fully mediates the relations between leaders' direction-giving and empathetic motivational language and bank tellers' adaptive performance, whilst partially mediates between bank tellers' meaning-making motivational language and adaptive performance. © 2017 International Information Institute.