Purpose– In this study of 815 military personnel, the purpose of this paper is to examine how perceived leader behaviors are related to trainee perceptions of leader training priorities and to trainee priority for training, and whether trainee motivation to transfer of training moderated the relationship between trainee perceptions and trainee priority for training.Design/methodology/approach– Participants who were experienced job incumbents responded to a survey related to foreign language usage, training, and policy.Findings– When leaders showed support for training through their actions, trainees were more likely to perceive their leaders as placing a higher priority on training. Leader behaviors predicted trainee priority to train, because trainees believed their leaders set a higher priority for training. The leader behaviors that were important for trainees' priority to train were discretionary behaviors, not those leader behaviors mandated by the organization. Trainee perceptions of leader priority were more positively predictive of trainees' priority to train for trainees with less motivation to transfer of training.Originality/value– Supervisor support is an important predictor of training outcomes. The authors expand this literature by focussing on the signals that leaders send to their subordinates regarding training priority. Leaders who exhibited discretionary behaviors in support of training appeared to create an environment in which trainees placed greater importance on training. Organizations need to be aware that mandating training activities might not be as important as encouraging leaders to place value on discretionary activities.
Trainees differ in their preferences for learning strategies, and these differences can moderate the effectiveness of training programs. Unfortunately, previous attempts to develop learning style preference measures have not yielded reliable measures. The authors conducted two studies as part of an effort to develop and provide an initial validation of a learning style orientation measure. Factor analyses revealed five distinct and reliable learning style orientations. Scores on these factors were related to personality and instructional methods preferences. Findings provided preliminary support of the convergent and discriminant validity of the measure.
