Date of Conferral

1-19-2026

Date of Award

January 2026

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Donald Carpenter

Abstract

Ineffective leader-follower relationships in banks can negatively affect productivity. Branch bank leaders in New Jersey are concerned that low productivity reduces the quality of service provided to clients. Based on leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project is to identify and explore effective strategies that some leaders in the banking industry in New Jersey use to build leader-follower relationships for increasing and sustaining worker productivity. Participants were six bank managers in New Jersey who had implemented strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available industrial documents, and three themes were identified with thematic analysis: (a) transparent relationship and communication strategy, (b) leadership support for work–life balance, and (c) employee turnover in the banking sector. The key recommendation is that bank leaders in New Jersey must prioritize transparency while maintaining consistency and honesty in their employees’ communication. Implications for positive social change include the potential for banking leaders to foster more effective leadership strategies, thereby improving both the work environment for banking professionals and the quality of care provided to clients.

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