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.
1. A Few Words to Get Us Started.- 2. Fitting into the Big Picture: Meaning-Making Language.- 3. Speaking from the Heart: Empathetic Language.- 4. Clarity is Key: Direction-Giving Language.- 5. Motivating Language Coordination.- 6. Motivating Language and Workplace Outcomes.- 7. Strategic Motivating Language.- 8. Measurement and Generalizability.- 9. Future Directions.- 10. Hands, Heart, and Spirit.
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.).
