Motivating Language Theory: Effective Leader Talk in the Workplace - Hardcover

by Jacqueline Mayfield (Author), Milton Mayfield (Author)

Provides an integrated view of leader communication through a strong and well-tested research model
Integrates management and linguistic theories to offer a powerful understanding of how motivating language use increases workplace production
Articulates a coherent strategy that links leader communication to valuable employee and organizational outcomes

Back Jacket

This book presents the findings, applications, and theoretical underpinnings of a unique leadership communication model: motivating language theory. Drawing from management, social science, and communication theories, motivating language theory demonstrates how leader-to-follower speech improves employee and organizational well-being and drives positive workplace outcomes (such as employee performance, retention, and job satisfaction) in a wide array of settings. It presents an integrated model based on empirical findings and theoretical developments from the past three decades to explore the three dimensions of motivating language: direction giving language, empathetic language, and meaning-making language. It will be a comprehensive source for its empirical relationships, generalizability, theoretical basis, and future directions for research and practice.

Author Biography

Jackie Mayfield is a Professor of Management in the Sanchez School of Business at Texas A&M International University, USA. She specializes in leadership communication research, and has published over 80 journal articles and conference proceedings in such outlets as International Journal of Business Communication, Human Resource Management, and Development and Learning in Organizations.
Milton Mayfield is a Professor of Management in the Sanchez School of Business at Texas A&M International University, USA. He specializes in leadership communication research, and has published over 80 journal articles and conference proceedings in such outlets as Human Resource Management, International Journal of Business Communication, and The Encyclopedia of Creativity (2nd ed.).