"...leader moral humility predicts follower moral efficacy and moral behaviors above and beyond the effects of ethical leadership and leader general humility."

J Appl Psychol. 2018 Oct 8. doi: 10.1037/apl0000353. [Epub ahead of print]

The impact of leader moral humility on follower moral self-efficacy and behavior.

Owens BP1, Yam KC2, Bednar JS1, Mao J3, Hart DW1.

Author information

1

Marriott School of Business.

2

School of Business.

3

School of Business Administration.

Abstract

This study utilizes social-cognitive theory, humble leadership theory, and the behavioral ethics literature to theoretically develop the concept of leader moral humility and its effects on followers. Specifically, we propose a theoretical model wherein leader moral humility and follower implicit theories about morality interact to predict follower moral efficacy, which in turn increases follower prosocial behavior and decreases follower unethical behavior. We furthermore suggest that these effects are strongest when followers hold an incremental implicit theory of morality (i.e., believing that one's morality is malleable). We test and find support for our theoretical model using two multiwave studies with Eastern (Study 1) and Western (Study 2) samples. Furthermore, we demonstrate that leader moral humility predicts follower moral efficacy and moral behaviors above and beyond the effects of ethical leadership and leader general humility.