Dynamic Leadership Tools Supporting Psychological Needs Satisfaction in Public Organizations: Experimental Evidence

Abstract

Public leadership is increasingly conducted through digital information technology, and dynamic leadership tools are offered as alternatives to static tools. As a first test of dynamic leadership tools in public leadership, this study focuses on leadership tools for visionary leadership. The study examines whether the positive effect on employee needs satisfaction of dynamic leadership tools based on persuasive information technology is stronger than for static leadership tools. The study involves a field experiment on leadership training combined with leadership tools and shows that dynamic tools indeed have a stronger impact than static tools on satisfying employee needs for meaning and employee perception of prosocial impact. This research contributes to the understanding of how information technology can be harnessed to support public leadership and highlights the potential benefits of dynamic leadership tools in supporting beneficial employee outcomes.