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Ethical Leader Behavior and Big Five Factors of Personality

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Abstract

Most research on ethical leadership to date investigates the consequences of ethical leadership rather than its antecedents. Here, we aim to contribute to this field by studying leader personality as a potential antecedent of ethical leader behavior. In two multisource studies, we investigated the relationships between personality traits and ethical leader behavior. Leader personality was measured through self-ratings using the five-factor personality framework. Two subordinates rated their leaders’ ethical behavior. Study 1 used a uni-dimensional Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS). In study 2 we used this scale as well as an instrument distinguishing three different ethical leader behaviors, namely, fairness, role clarification, and power sharing. Further, in study 2 we controlled for the influence of the relationship between leader and followers (LMX). As expected, conscientiousness and agreeableness were most consistently related to ethical leadership. In study 1, after controlling for the other personality traits, conscientiousness related positively with ethical leadership. In study 2, after controlling for other traits and LMX, conscientiousness related positively with ethical leadership and the behavior role clarification, and agreeableness with power sharing and fairness. Also, emotional stability related positively with ethical leadership and role clarification after controlling for LMX. As expected, openness to experience and extraversion were unrelated to ethical leader behaviors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ethics Institute, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Karianne Kalshoven

  2. Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, University of Amsterdam Business School, Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Deanne N. Den Hartog

  3. Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Annebel H. B. De Hoogh

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  1. Karianne Kalshoven
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  2. Deanne N. Den Hartog
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  3. Annebel H. B. De Hoogh
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Correspondence to Karianne Kalshoven.

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Kalshoven, K., Den Hartog, D.N. & De Hoogh, A.H.B. Ethical Leader Behavior and Big Five Factors of Personality. J Bus Ethics 100, 349–366 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0685-9

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