An illustration of how a research interview design is linked to a specific academic theory: Note 2 for MBA students

An illustration of how a research interview design is linked to a specific academic theory [the servant leadership theory]: Note 2 for MBA students

The following is an account of my dialogue with chatgpt (accessed via poe.com) on using the servant leadership theory for an in-depth research interview application:

My question 1: "I am a part-time MBA student; I am currently conducting my final-year dissertation. My research project is to evaluate the middle-management leadership effectiveness of my restaurant business in Hong Kong. There are five middle-managers altogether. In my MBA study, I have learned the servant leadership theory, which I find very interesting. Thus, I am going to conduct in-depth interviews with these five middle-managers and 2 subordinates of each of them on their leadership style and leadership effectiveness. My question 1 is: could you brief me on the main underlying ideas of servant leadership?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Certainly! Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy that emphasizes the leader's role as a servant to their team. Here are the main underlying ideas:

Key Principles of Servant Leadership

Service to Others: The primary focus of a servant leader is to serve their team members. This involves prioritizing the needs of others and helping them develop and perform as highly as possible.

Empathy: Servant leaders strive to understand and empathize with their team members. They actively listen to their concerns and perspectives, fostering a supportive environment.

Community Building: Servant leadership encourages collaboration and teamwork. Leaders work to create a sense of community within the organization, promoting strong relationships among team members.

Stewardship: Servant leaders view their role as a stewardship, taking responsibility for the well-being of their team and the organization. They are accountable for their actions and decisions.

Personal Growth: A strong emphasis is placed on the personal and professional growth of team members. Servant leaders mentor and support their subordinates, helping them reach their full potential.

Ethical Use of Power: Servant leaders use their authority to empower others rather than to control them. They foster an ethical organizational culture and model integrity.

Vision and Direction: While their focus is on serving others, effective servant leaders also provide a clear vision and direction for the team, guiding them toward shared goals.

Impact on Leadership Effectiveness

Increased Engagement: By prioritizing the needs of team members, servant leaders often see higher levels of engagement and satisfaction.

Improved Performance: When employees feel valued and supported, their performance typically improves.

Enhanced Trust: Servant leadership fosters trust and loyalty, leading to lower turnover rates and a more positive workplace culture.

In your research, exploring how these principles are applied by the middle managers in your restaurant business could provide valuable insights into their leadership effectiveness."

My question 2: "Tks for clarification. Could you propose an in-depth research interviews on the five middle-managers and two subordinates reporting to them each, based on the servant leadership theory?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Certainly! Here’s a proposed outline for conducting in-depth research interviews based on the servant leadership theory, tailored for the five middle managers and their two subordinates:

Research Interview Outline

1. Introduction

Briefly explain the purpose of the interview.

Assure confidentiality and anonymity.

Outline the structure of the interview.

2. Background Information

For Managers:

Position and role in the organization.

Duration in the current role.

Leadership experience and background.

For Subordinates:

Position and role in relation to the manager.

Duration of working under the current manager.

3. Leadership Style

Questions for Managers:

How would you describe your leadership style? What influences it?

Can you provide examples of how you serve your team?

Questions for Subordinates:

How would you describe your manager’s leadership style?

In what ways do you feel supported by your manager?

4. Empathy and Understanding

Questions for Managers:

How do you ensure you understand the needs and concerns of your team?

Can you share an example of a time when you empathized with an employee’s situation?

Questions for Subordinates:

Do you feel that your manager listens to your concerns? Can you provide an example?

How has your manager shown empathy towards team members?

5. Community and Team Dynamics

Questions for Managers:

How do you promote teamwork and collaboration within your team?

What strategies do you use to build a sense of community among your staff?

Questions for Subordinates:

How would you describe the team environment?

In what ways does your manager encourage collaboration among team members?

6. Development and Growth

Questions for Managers:

How do you support the personal and professional growth of your team members?

Can you share an example of mentoring or coaching you have provided?

Questions for Subordinates:

Do you feel your manager invests in your development? How so?

What opportunities for growth have you received from your manager?

7. Trust and Accountability

Questions for Managers:

How do you build trust within your team?

In what ways do you promote accountability among team members?

Questions for Subordinates:

How would you describe the level of trust between you and your manager?

Do you feel accountable for your work? How does your manager facilitate this?

8. Vision and Effectiveness

Questions for Managers:

How do you communicate your vision to your team?

In your opinion, how effective is your leadership in achieving team goals?

Questions for Subordinates:

How well do you understand the goals and vision that your manager has set?

In what ways do you think your manager’s leadership contributes to team effectiveness?

9. Closing Thoughts

Ask for any additional comments or insights about servant leadership.

Thank the interviewee for their time and contributions.

Considerations

Recording and Transcription: With permission, consider recording the interviews for accuracy in data collection.

Analysis: After conducting the interviews, analyze the responses for recurring themes and insights related to servant leadership.

Follow-up Questions: Be prepared to ask follow-up questions based on responses to explore topics in greater depth.

This structured approach should help you gather comprehensive insights into the application of servant leadership within your restaurant business."

My question 3: "Very clear; as I intend to employ the deductive research approach to analyze interview transcripts, could you suggest some codes based on servant leadership for me to conduct the thematic analysis?"

The reply from chatgpt is: "Certainly! Here are some suggested codes for thematic analysis based on the principles of servant leadership. You can use these codes to categorize and analyze the interview transcripts:

Suggested Codes for Thematic Analysis

Service Orientation

Instances where managers prioritize team needs.

Examples of support provided to team members.

Empathy

Expressions of understanding and compassion.

Specific examples of listening to team members' concerns.

Team Building

Efforts to foster collaboration.

Activities or initiatives aimed at strengthening team cohesion.

Development and Mentorship

Examples of coaching or mentoring.

References to professional development opportunities provided.

Trust Building

Actions that enhance trust and transparency.

Comments on accountability and integrity within the team.

Vision Communication

How the manager articulates goals and vision.

Feedback from subordinates on clarity of direction.

Feedback and Recognition

Instances of providing constructive feedback.

Recognition of team members’ contributions.

Ethical Leadership

Examples of ethical decision-making.

Discussions on promoting an ethical workplace culture.

Community Support

Initiatives aimed at creating a supportive work environment.

Engagement in team-building activities outside of work tasks.

Conflict Resolution

Approaches to managing conflicts within the team.

Examples of how empathy is applied in conflict situations.

Additional Considerations

Sub-codes: Each of these main codes can have sub-codes for more granular analysis. For example, under “Empathy,” you might have sub-codes for “Active Listening,” “Personal Connections,” or “Emotional Support.”

Positive vs. Negative Instances: Consider coding instances as positive or negative where applicable, to capture the effectiveness and challenges of servant leadership.

Quotes and Anecdotes: Highlight specific quotes or anecdotes that exemplify each code to support your findings.

Using these codes, you can systematically analyze your interview data to identify themes and insights related to servant leadership in your restaurant business."

My question 4: "Tks. Could you brief me also what are the limitations of relying solely on the servant leadership theory for the in-depth research interview design in this case?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Certainly! While servant leadership theory provides a valuable framework for understanding leadership dynamics, relying solely on it for your in-depth research interview design has some limitations:

Limitations of Solely Relying on Servant Leadership Theory

Narrow Focus:

Focusing exclusively on servant leadership may overlook other leadership styles that could be influencing middle managers' effectiveness, such as transformational, transactional, or situational leadership.

Contextual Variability:

The restaurant industry in Hong Kong may have unique cultural and operational contexts that impact leadership practices. Servant leadership may not fully capture these nuances.

Subjectivity in Interpretation:

The interpretation of servant leadership principles can vary among individuals. Different managers and subordinates may have different understandings of what constitutes "servant" behavior.

Potential Bias:

If interview questions are heavily oriented toward servant leadership, respondents may feel compelled to provide answers that align with this framework, leading to biased or socially desirable responses.

Limited Scope of Questions:

Focusing on servant leadership may limit the range of questions and topics explored in interviews, potentially missing critical insights on broader leadership effectiveness or organizational culture.

Overemphasis on Individual Leaders:

Servant leadership often emphasizes individual leaders' qualities. This focus might obscure the importance of team dynamics, organizational structures, and external factors influencing leadership effectiveness.

Measurement Challenges:

Evaluating the effectiveness of servant leadership can be complex. Relying solely on this theory might make it difficult to measure leadership outcomes comprehensively.

Resistance to Change:

If the organization has a predominantly non-servant leadership culture, there may be resistance to adopting servant leadership principles, which could impact the validity of the findings.

Recommendations

Integrative Approach: Consider integrating other leadership theories or frameworks to provide a more holistic view of leadership effectiveness.

Flexible Questions: Allow for open-ended questions that enable participants to share their experiences and perspectives beyond the servant leadership framework.

Contextual Awareness: Be mindful of the specific cultural and operational context of your restaurant business when designing your interview questions.

By acknowledging these limitations, you can enhance the robustness of your research and gain a more comprehensive understanding of middle-management leadership effectiveness in your restaurant."

My question 5: "Very clear. My last question is: what are the problems for me, being the CEO [also the owner] of my restaurant business, to conduct the in-depth interview with all these restaurant staff?"

The reply from chatgpt: "Conducting in-depth interviews as the CEO and owner of your restaurant can present several challenges and potential problems:

Problems of Conducting In-Depth Interviews as CEO

Power Dynamics:

Employees may feel intimidated by your position, which could inhibit their openness during interviews. They might be reluctant to share honest feedback or concerns, fearing repercussions.

Bias in Responses:

Subordinates may provide responses they think you want to hear rather than their true feelings, leading to biased data collection. This can skew your findings and impact the reliability of the research.

Perceived Judgment:

Staff might worry about being judged for their responses, especially if they have criticisms about leadership or operations. This can create a less candid environment for discussion.

Confidentiality Concerns:

Employees may have concerns about confidentiality, fearing that their comments could be traced back to them, especially in a small team.

Pressure to Conform:

Subordinates might feel pressured to align with the company culture or your leadership style, which could lead to conformity in their responses instead of authentic opinions.

Limited Objectivity:

As the CEO, your emotional investment in the business may impact your ability to remain objective during the interviews, potentially affecting how you interpret responses.

Time Constraints:

Balancing your responsibilities as CEO with conducting comprehensive interviews can be challenging. Time limitations might lead to rushed interviews or insufficient follow-up questions.

Inconsistent Interviewing:

Your familiarity with the staff could lead to inconsistencies in how you conduct interviews, as you may unconsciously favor certain employees or discussions based on prior knowledge or relationships.

Feedback Implementation:

If employees provide critical feedback, they may question whether their input will be taken seriously or if it will lead to changes. This could affect their willingness to engage openly.

Recommendations

Third-Party Facilitator: Consider having an impartial third party conduct the interviews to mitigate power dynamics and encourage honest feedback.

Anonymity: Offer anonymous survey options or interviews to help employees feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts.

Encourage Openness: Clearly communicate that the purpose of the interviews is to improve the workplace and that all feedback—positive or negative—is valued.

Follow-Up: After the interviews, share key themes and how you plan to address the feedback to build trust and demonstrate the value of their input.

By being aware of these challenges, you can take steps to mitigate their impact and enhance the quality and reliability of your research."

Further reading: interview design: the inductive approach vs deductive approach

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.