46 Ducere Est Servire: THE LEADERSHIP JOURNAL OF DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY A recent study in The Journal of Vocational Behavior highlighted that the workplace constitutes an important context in which generativity can be developed and expressed through behaviors that are valuable for both employees and organizations, such as coaching, mentoring, and leadership.76 Generativity at work positively related to well-being and career related outcomes such as: job satisfaction, life satisfaction, career satisfaction, and work and organizational commitment and meaningful contribution.77 A leader promoting a generative culture may produce many benefits to both employee and employer, including a person’s commitment level to the job and a person’s sense that he/she has meaningfully contributed to the organization.78 The generative leader may also emphasize empowerment. Doerwald with others observed positive associations between job autonomy and generativity. Employees granted “high job autonomy may craft their job in such a way that it allows them to express their generativity,” which may lead to “more favorable work outcomes.” 79 Thus, the presence of generativity may lead to better organizational performance as well. These organizational imperatives may not be easy since the generative leader has the challenge of simultaneously maximizing the organizational needs and the follower’s needs. The generative leader may emphasize implementing human resource (HR) strategies that provide structured opportunities for leaders and employees to enact their generativity motives. The study also found that a generativity motive was positively associated with mentoring relationship quality.80 The analysis suggested that “giving employees the opportunity to mentor might be an excellent way to express generativity … through leadership … coaching, or being involved in activities surrounding an organizations’ social responsibilities.”81 The Christian leader with generative motives and behaviors can better inspire, support, and guide the next generation at work with increased knowledge sharing, improved leader and follower development, and more formal mentoring programs.
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