What is the Leader-Member Exchange Theory?

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

What is the Leader-Member Exchange Theory?


Leader-member exchange theory (LMX) represents a departure from common leadership theories. Most theories focus on the characteristics of effective leaders. In contrast, LMX focuses on the relationships, which may be affected by personal characteristics, between leaders and followers (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1996; Truckenbrodt, 2000).

Graen and Uhl-Bien (1996) impart a sense of urgency to look beyond the traits of effective leaders by describing taxonomy of leadership with multiple domains including the leader, the follower, and the dyadic relationship.

They warn that focusing on only one domain could result in flawed research designs and understandings of effective leadership. LMX brings the follower and relationship domains into the foreground of research alongside the study of such leadership styles as transformational leadership.ntage theory.

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