Tuning into performance and satisfaction in nonprofit orchestras: One link between transformational leadership and satisfaction is through reduction in conflict

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21381
• Date: 01 December 2019
• Author: Astrid Schütz,Jana Kammerhoff,Oliver Lauenstein
• Published date: 01 December 2019

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Tuning into performance and satisfaction

in nonprofit orchestras: One link between

transformational leadership and satisfaction

is through reduction in conflict

Jana Kammerhoff | Oliver Lauenstein | Astrid Schütz

Department of Personality Psychology and

Psychological Assessment, Otto-Friedrich

Universität Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany

Correspondence

Astrid Schütz, Otto-Friedrich Universität

Bamberg, Markusplatz 3, 96047 Bamberg,

Germany.

Email: astrid.schuetz@uni-bamberg.de

Funding information

Schott Musik Verlag; Breitkopf & Härtel

Abstract

In this study, we tested hypotheses concerning volunteers'

not-for-profit work, specifically the relations of transforma-

tional leadership with performance and satisfaction as well as

the question of how task and relationship conflict fit into these

relations. We argue that conflicts are detrimental to satisfac-

tion and performance and that the frequency of conflict can

be reduced through transformational leadership. We analyzed

data from a large sample of lay orchestra musicians

(N= 1,535) and found that musicians' perceptions of their

conductors' transformational leadership style were positively

related to both the performance and satisfaction of the musi-

cians. Furthermore, we found that conflict mediated the rela-

tion between transformational leadership and satisfaction to

some extent. The mediation occurred via the frequencies of

both task and relationship conflicts even though the frequency

of conflict was quite low in this sample in general.

KEYWORDS

conflict, orchestra, performance, satisfaction, transformational

leadership

1|INTRODUCTION

Many people use their free time to engage in interactive activities they enjoy and deem useful. In

doing so, they often form groups to collectively perform certain tasks. When different people work

Received: 30 January 2018 Revised: 28 May 2019 Accepted: 29 May 2019

DOI: 10.1002/nml.21381

Nonprofit Management and Leadership. 2019;30:321–338. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/nml © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 321

on a collective task, coordinated effort is usually needed to ensure success. Leadership is an impor-

tant part of most organized group activities because leaders are useful to coordinate members' efforts.

Thus, many volunteer groups such as sports clubs, music ensembles, or charities have leaders who

coordinate the various processes necessary to achieve the group's aims.

In these contexts, leaders do not use salary or bonuses as leadership tools, but instead, their exper-

tise and vision are essential. Whereas monetary compensation is an important motivator in paid

work, it does not motivate people to engage in volunteer activities. Instead, the most relevant motives

for putting effort into an unpaid activity are contributing to a worthwhile cause, doing something

meaningful, belonging to a social group, being socially connected, or experiencing personal growth

(Bang & Ross, 2009; Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Deci & Ryan, 1985; Jamison, 2003; Prouteau &

Wolff, 2008).

Transformational leadership is characterized by behavior that focuses on individual needs and the

creation of shared objectives and thus inspires followers through a vision that goes beyond individual

goals (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Transformational leadership has been shown to be related to the satis-

faction and engagement of volunteers (Dwyer, Bono, Snyder, Nov, & Berson, 2013; Mayr, 2017).

Studying transformational leadership in combination with volunteer performance and individual

satisfaction is important because a better understanding of the factors that motivate people to engage

in such activities and give a good performance may help to increase civic engagement.

To get a clearer picture of why transformational leadership is effective, it is important to investi-

gate the mechanisms through which transformational leadership works in volunteer contexts. A fac-

tor that often harms performance and satisfaction is conflict (De Dreu, 2008). Interpersonal conflict

is related to many undesirable personal outcomes, such as heightened anxiety, frustration, or somatic

complaints (Spector, Chen, & O'Connell, 2000).

Conflict is a likely occurrence in any group activity, especially when interdependent tasks are

concerned (Tjosvold, 2008), and because volunteers can more easily withdraw their participation

than paid employees can, it is important to explore the role of leadership in supporting performance

and satisfaction in volunteers and analyze the role of conflicts in this relation. There is evidence from

paid labor, that conflict can be reduced through appropriate leader behavior, such as transformational

leadership (Zhang, Cao, & Tjosvold, 2011). It is not yet clear, however, whether similar effects exist

in volunteer groups.

In the present article, we studied nonprofessional orchestra members (N= 1,535). Lay musicians

are often well-trained and willing to perform publicly. In this, they differ from some volunteer groups

but resemble others who perform as a group in soccer, acting, singing, and so forth. In such groups,

the task is often highly interdependent, and the members typically practice and perform under the

direct supervision and coordination of a leader—in our case, a music conductor. We assessed orches-

tra members' perception of their conductors' transformational leadership behavior, satisfaction with

their engagement, perceived performance, as well as the amounts of task-related and personal con-

flict. On this basis, we aimed to better understand how transformational leadership is related to out-

comes in volunteer organizations and what role conflicts play in this relation.

2|THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

We first discuss motives for volunteering. We then introduce the concept of transformational leader-

ship and the kinds of conflicts that might arise between volunteers. On this basis, we derive hypothe-

ses for our study.

322 KAMMERHOFF ET AL.