Unexplored leader-member-exchange in laissez-faire leadership and its influence on subordinate effectiveness: qualitative evidence from Ugandan schools

Purpose To explore the nature of leader–member-exchange (LMX) characterising laissez-faire leadership as exercised by superiors towards headteachers and by headteachers themselves, and its influence on subordinate-effectiveness in educational setting, particularly that of government secondary schools in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach Phenomenology was the research design employed following interpretivism and hence a qualitative approach informed by the LMX theory. Cross-sectional interview data were collected from BOG chairpersons; head teachers and teachers purposively selected from five government secondary schools in Central Uganda and analysed using Yin’s (2015) framework of thematic analysis. Findings Laissez-faire leadership enacted by Board of Governors or Directors (BOGs) and headteachers is underpinned by high-quality LMX relationships, cultivated through role-taking, role-making and routinisation, grounded in superiors’ trust, respect and confidence in headteachers. Similarly, headteachers’ trust in teachers’ professional capacity to undertake instructional and extracurricular responsibilities without direct supervision fosters a dual influence, enhancing both headteacher and teacher effectiveness. However, when excessively exercised, such autonomy yields adverse outcomes, including headteacher disengagement and deliberate teacher absenteeism to pursue external employment. Research limitations/implications While high-quality LMX translates into enhanced subordinate effectiveness, excessive application of it compromises its effectiveness under laissez-faire. The study’s qualitative nature limits generalisation of its findings. Practical implications Under laissez-faire, balancing trust in subordinates with leadership responsibilities enhances their effectiveness. Originality/value Revealing the high-quality LMX defining laissez faire leadership, giving a new side that contradicts the dominant view that this leadership style is associated with no or low-quality LMX.