Explaining turnover intention: The role of leadership in organizational contexts

Leaders assume an important role in organizational success by influencing workers' attitudes and behaviors. The Leadership Efficacy Model (LEM) is a recent theoretical proposal focusing on factors that increase leadership efficacy. According to the LEM, three leadership factors can explain the efficacy of leadership: leadership cycles, leadership styles, and antecedent factors of leadership. This study explored the relationship between the congruence of leadership cycles and leadership efficacy (measured by turnover intention), analyzing whether leadership styles and antecedent factors of leadership moderate this relationship. The study included 842 participants evaluated in terms of leadership cycles, leadership styles, antecedent factors of leadership, and turnover intention. The results confirmed that congruence between the conceptual and practical cycles of leadership was associated with lower turnover intention and that the leadership styles were moderators of this relationship. These findings contribute to the leadership field and provide valuable insights for managing organizations.
This study was conducted at three different research centers: (a) Psychology Research Centre (CIPsi; PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, and was supported by the Portu- guese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; UID/01662/2025) through the Portuguese State Budget. The CIPsi is registered under the https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/01662/2025; (b) Re- search Centre for Human Development (supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology, ref. UIDB/04872/2025); and (c) Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA: E), University of Coimbra (supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology, ref. UID/00742/2025), https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/00742/2025.