Leadership behavior and subordinate stress: a 360 degrees view.

Relationships between leader behavior and subordinate work stress were examined from the perspectives of 343 leaders, their bosses, and their subordinates. Leader behaviors did relate to stress experienced by staff; however, leaders' views of what related to subordinate stress did not always coincide with the factors that subordinates themselves associated with stress. The relationships of leader delegation and subordinate participation to lower subordinate reports of stress were particularly underestimated by leaders. Implications for developing leaders as agents for employee stress reduction are discussed.