Institutional Leaderships: The Case of Crédito Agrícola in Portugal

Leadership is a core foundation for banking organizations necessary to operate in today's environment. It is important to see how leaders perceive themselves as agents of success, both for the organization and its goals, as well as for the employees that work under their supervision. This paper intends to address these issues. This study was conducted through Crédito Agricola (CA) branches in Portugal and Azores, using online questionnaires. Data were collected from 85 leaders with different positions within the bank. Leaders generally perceive themselves as objective and impartial, capable of knowing the employees areas of personal and professional interest. Leaders are interested in developing their subordinates' capabilities, through on the job training and other skill enhancement alternatives. Data show that leaders prefer making decisions with participation of other team members and not alone. Data were collected through nonprobability sampling (quota sampling and purposive sampling). Relations between leaders and subordinates are analysed, and the paper addresses the leaders' personal views regarding their role in the decision process that affects their teams as well as the organization as a whole.