Enhancing multiple dimensions of performance in small professional firms through leader-follower trust.

This study reports a range of positive effects of trusting relationships between leaders and followers on multiple measures of performance in small professional service firms. Six performance measures were used: financial outcomes, staff and customer satisfaction, productivity, and staff and manager tenure. Predictions that firms with high levels of manager-follower trust would outperform their low-trust peers were supported on all measures. Importantly, the findings indicated that retaining managers and staff in small firms is associated with high levels of manager-follower trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]