Leadership Styles in the Workplace: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Employee Engagement, Motivation, and Retention
Degree Date
12-13-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Jana Hennen-Burr
Abstract
This qualitative, phenomenological study, grounded in an interpretivist approach, was designed to address an existing gap in knowledge regarding the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement, motivation, and retention. Twelve midlevel leaders from a Midwestern medical manufacturing organization were individually interviewed to provide insights regarding their supervisors’ leadership style and the impact it had on the participants’ lived experiences at the worksite. Semistructured interviews were conducted online and audio-video recorded; resulting transcripts were analyzed. Findings were organized around Kouzes and Posner’s exemplary leadership practice framework to demonstrate the validity of the model and illustrate how specific leadership practices can align with its tenets. Results revealed all four primary leadership styles in use by the upper-level supervisors, with the authentic style the most frequently employed. Each style had a significant influence on the participants and organizational dynamics, including affecting employee engagement, motivation, and retention within the company, and each could be matched with aspects of the theoretical framework. Actionable recommendations advanced based on the findings included emphasizing the importance of leaders’ listening and providing feedback and autonomy, whatever their leadership style.
Keywords: employees, engagement, motivation, retention, leadership style, phenomenology