Employee Profile

Per-Magnus Thompson

Associate Professor

Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Room number A3Y-026
Phone +4746410605
E-mail per-magnus.thompson@bi.no

Biography

Per-Magnus Thompson is Associate Professor in Organizational Psychology at the Department of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, BI Norwegian Business School. He received his Ph.D. from BI Norwegian Business School.

Thompson is a certified clinical psychologist from University of Oslo, and approved specialist in work- and organizational psychology (NPA). He has extensive experience working as an organizational consultant (e.g., leadership development programs and team development) and clinician (e.g., working with leaders in a therapeutic setting).

His research interests include 'attachment theory', 'leadership', 'the leader-follower relationship' and 'emotions at work'.

He teaches at the Executive MBA programme and the Master of science programme in Organizational Psychology. He also contributes as a consultant on BI Corporate projects.

Thompson is frequently hired to hold invited talks for practitioners on issues such as relational leadership, self-leadership and team development.

Area of Expertise

Job Satisfaction
Coaching
Change Management
Leadership Communication
Management
Leadership
Leadership Development
Happiness
Motivation
Organisational psychology
Personality
Stress Management
Teamwork, Team Development
Burnout

Publications

Shows 5 of 8 publication(s)

Article Geir Thompson, Robert Buch, Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2025)

Increased span of supervision: an obstacle for effective leadership style?

Dynamic Relationships Management Journal 14(2) p. 1-14 Doi: https://sam-d.si/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DRMJ-vol14-no02-2025-Clanek-2.pdf

Article Per-Magnus Thompson (2024)

Selvledelse har gunstige effekter både på ledere, enkeltmedarbeidere og hele organisasjoner

Ledernytt

Article Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Lars Glasø, Stig Berge Matthiesen, Christian Winther Farstad, Jon Magnus F Haakonsen (2023)

Attachment styles and leader–member exchange: Investigating the principle of attachment-system activation

Psychology of Leaders and Leadership Doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000149

From an attachment-theoretical perspective, one would expect insecure attachment styles to have a negative impact on leader–follower relationships. However, a recent review of the literature on attachment style and leader–member exchange (LMX) yielded mixed results. Examining this discrepancy, we applied the principle of attachment-system activation, proposing that when insecurely attached leaders or followers experience more distress at work, attachment style will be a stronger predictor of LMX. Data were gathered from 192 independent leader–follower dyads and analyzed using the actor–partner interdependence model. Like in other studies, investigating the direct link between attachment style and LMX yielded mixed results. However, the link between anxious style and LMX did get stronger when including attachment-system activation in our model, highlighting the relevance of applying key principles from the original theory when studying leadership through the lens of attachment.

Article Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Jon Magnus F Haakonsen (2023)

Hjernen er alene på hjemmekontor

BI Leadership Magazine

Article Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Thomas Hol Fosse, Joachim Berntsen Skouverøe (2021)

Leaders That Don’t Care: Investigating Leader Caregiving From an Attachment-Theoretical Perspective

The Psychologist-Manager Journal 24(3) p. 141-161 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000096

Article Geir Thompson, Robert Buch, Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Lars Glasø (2021)

The impact of transformational leadership and interactional justice on follower performance and organizational commitment in a business context

Journal of General Management (JGM) 46(4) p. 274-283 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0306307020984579

The relationships between transformational leaders and several follower outcomes have been well investigated, but the mechanism through which these leadership behaviors relate to such outcomes is relatively unexplored. By investigating the mediating role of interactional justice, using structural equation modeling analyses, and data collected from supervisors and direct reports at various organizational levels, the present study provides insight into the psychological processes underlying transformational leadership and its effectiveness on follower outcomes. In line with social exchange theory, the main takeaway from the present study is suggesting that leaders, who display transformational leadership behavior in a manner perceived by followers as respectful, fair, and consistent with moral and ethical standards, may expect greater follower organizational attachment as an appropriate response to interactional justice.

Article Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Lars Glasø, Stig Berge Matthiesen (2018)

The way I see you. Implicit followership theories explored through the lens of attachment

The Psychologist-Manager Journal 21(2) p. 85-105 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000069

Building on Bowlby’s (1969/1982) attachment theory, the present study examines the relationship between leaders’ attachment style, mirroring their relational experiences with significant others, and implicit followership theories (IFTs). Drawing on the principle of schema transference, it was hypothesized that both anxious and avoidant attachment styles were related to negative IFTs. Furthermore, investigating the phenomenon of defensive projection, it was proposed that leaders’ perception of own competence level would moderate the relationship between avoidant style and the IFT facet “incompetence,” so that avoidant leaders feeling less competent at work would view followers as more incompetent than other avoidant leaders. Survey data were collected from 258 leaders in a variety of work settings. Hierarchical regression analyses supported both hypotheses. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

Article Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Lars Glasø, Stig Berge Matthiesen (2016)

Leader-follower dyads through the lens of attachement theory. Attachment style as a predictor of LMX

Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings Doi: https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2016.248

Shows 5 of 20 publication(s)

Media Martine Frich, Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2025)

Human Resource Systems Implementation from Resource Orchestration Perspective: Do Top and Middle Managers’ HR Philosophies Matter?

The 2023 European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) Conference

Conference poster Geir Thompson, Robert Buch, Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2023)

The mediating role of leadership style in the relationship between span of supervision and multiple outcomes in business setting

The 2023 European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) Conference

Lecture Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2023)

Bruk av tilknytningsteori i lederutvikling

Lederutviklingskonferansen

Lecture Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Jon Magnus F Haakonsen (2023)

Morgendagens ledere

HR-konferansen for offentlig sektor 2023

Conference lecture Christian Winther Farstad, Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2023)

Who wants to lead: Relationships between the five-factor model of personality traits, lower-level facets, and Motivation to Lead

The 2023 European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP) Conference

Lecture Per-Magnus Moe Thompson (2023)

Ledere som (in)validerer: En studie av sammenhengen mellom lederes personlighet, (in)validering av emosjoner, leder-medarbeiderrelasjoner og jobbtilfredshet.

Psykologikongressen 2022

Conference lecture Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Linda Vestnes Sæter (2022)

When time is not a healer: Investigating persistent low-quality leader-follower relationship from an attachment theory perspective

The 83rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management

Conference lecture Per-Magnus Moe Thompson, Thomas Hol Fosse, Joachim Skouverøe (2019)

Academic Degrees
Year	Academic Department	Degree
2019	BI Norwegian Business School	PhD
2009	Universitetet i Oslo	Master Cand. Psychol.
2004	University of Oslo	Bachelor of Arts

Work Experience
Year	Employer	Job Title
2019 - Present	BI Norwegian Business School	Associate Professor
2013 - 2019	BI Norwegian Business School	PhD Candidate
2010 - 2013	Psykologbistand	Organizational psychologist / Consultant

Per-Magnus Thompson

Biography

Area of Expertise

Publications

Increased span of supervision: an obstacle for effective leadership style?

Selvledelse har gunstige effekter både på ledere, enkeltmedarbeidere og hele organisasjoner

Attachment styles and leader–member exchange: Investigating the principle of attachment-system activation

Hjernen er alene på hjemmekontor

Leaders That Don’t Care: Investigating Leader Caregiving From an Attachment-Theoretical Perspective

The impact of transformational leadership and interactional justice on follower performance and organizational commitment in a business context

The way I see you. Implicit followership theories explored through the lens of attachment

Leader-follower dyads through the lens of attachement theory. Attachment style as a predictor of LMX

Hvordan lykkes som leder?

Slik motiverer og beholder du ansatte

Podcast: Bi - Innsikt Episode: Stress i arbeidslivet

Podcast: Pia og psyken Episode: TEMA SKOLE - hvor mye betyr lærerens innside?

Får du styre din egen jobbhverdag?

Tre steg for å bli likt på arbeidsplassen: Særlig unge bør investerei relasjoner

Nytten av skam og misunnelse

Hvorfor er lederes barndom et tema i lederutvikling?

Trøst til ensomme ledere

Når kollegaen trenger din medfølelse

Slik skaper du trygge ansatte

Når det er vanskelig å vise følelser på jobb

Podcast: "Oppgradert" from BI Norwegian Business School Episode: Hvilke ferdigheter blir viktig i fremtiden?

God fjernledelse er å kunne være nær

DE HAR FÅTT NOK AV DE SÅKALTE BULLSHIT-JOBBENE

Aksept, forståelse og vennlighet trumfer det meste

Superkraften du kan lære deg

Økonomiske problemer Mer tabu enn ekteskapsproblemer

– Ledere må validere frykten til ansatte og ikke forsøke å fikse problemene

Er det greit å bruke uvitenskapelige tester til å endre ansattes oppgaver eller roller på jobb? Og er det lov?

Hvordan bygge robusthet og ivareta seg selv i lederrollen?

Hvordan sette egne og ivareta andres grenser?

Når bør jeg si unnskyld, og hvordan gjør jeg det?

Span of supervision, follower outcomes, and the mediating role of leadership

Social baseline theory and the leader-follower relationship. Investigating the principle of load sharing

Human Resource Systems Implementation from Resource Orchestration Perspective: Do Top and Middle Managers’ HR Philosophies Matter?

The mediating role of leadership style in the relationship between span of supervision and multiple outcomes in business setting

Bruk av tilknytningsteori i lederutvikling

Morgendagens ledere

Who wants to lead: Relationships between the five-factor model of personality traits, lower-level facets, and Motivation to Lead

Can I be my Whole Self at Work

Lederutvikling: Hva sier forskningen, og hva skjer fremover?

Why less is more: Span of supervision, follower outcomes, and the mediating role of leadership

Ledere som (in)validerer: En studie av sammenhengen mellom lederes personlighet, (in)validering av emosjoner, leder-medarbeiderrelasjoner og jobbtilfredshet.

When time is not a healer: Investigating persistent low-quality leader-follower relationship from an attachment theory perspective

Investigating leader caregiving through the lens of attachment theory: A moderated mediation analysis

Selvledelse i praksis

Selvledelse i praksis

Veier inn i ledelse – et livsløpsperspektiv på lederen

THE WAY I SEE YOU. LEADERS’ ATTACHMENT STYLE AS AN ANTECEDENT TO IMPLICIT FOLLOWERSHIP THEORIES

LEADER-FOLLOWER DYADS THROUGH THE LENS OF ATTACHMENT THEORY. ATTACHMENT STYLE AS A PREDICTOR OF LMX