Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

How does authentic leadership influence employee voice? From the perspective of the theory of planned behavior

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Drawing on the theory of planned behavior, this study examines how and when authentic leadership influences employees speaking out (voice toward peers) and speaking up (voice toward the supervisor) by demonstrating psychological safety, psychological ownership, and voice efficacy as key mediating mechanisms, and Chinese traditionality as a crucial boundary condition. A structural equation model analysis of a sample of 316 employee-supervisor dyads from China revealed that voice efficacy uniquely mediated relationships between authentic leadership and speaking up and speaking out, and played the strongest mediating role among the three mediators. A total effect moderation model analysis found that traditionality moderated the direct effects of psychological safety on speaking out, psychological ownership on speaking out, voice efficacy on speaking out, and authentic leadership on voice efficacy. Traditionality moderated the indirect effects of authentic leadership on speaking up and speaking out through voice efficacy and on speaking out through psychological safety and psychological ownership as well, suggesting that these effects were stronger for employees who were high, rather than low, in traditionality. This study contributes to our understanding of how and when authentic leadership influences employee voice and which intermediate mechanism plays the strongest role, and highlights improving voice efficacy and inculcating Chinese traditional values to enhance the effect of authentic leadership and bring about more voice behaviors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to action: A theory of planned behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckman (Eds.), Action control: From cognitions to behaviors (pp. 11–39). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, N. A. (2004). Social cognitive theory in diabetes exercise research: An integrative literature review. The Diabetes Educator, 30(5), 805–819.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1978). Organizational learning: A theory of action approach. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., Crossley, C. D., & Luthans, F. (2009). Psychological ownership: Theoretical extensions, measurement and relation to work outcomes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30(2), 173–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., & May, D. R. (2004). Unlocking the mask: A look at the process by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 15(6), 801–823.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakari, H., Hunjra, A. I., & Niazi, G. S. K. (2017). How does authentic leadership influence planned organizational change? The role of employees’ perceptions: Integration of theory of planned behavior and Lewin’s three step model. Journal of Change Management, 17(2), 155–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (2012). On the functional properties of perceived self-efficacy revisited. Journal of Management, 38(1), 9–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B. M., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and authentic transformational leadership behavior. Leadership Quarterly, 10, 181–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brassington, G. S., Atienza, A. A., Perczek, R. E., DiLorenzo, T. M., & King, A. C. (2002). Intervention-related cognitive versus social mediators of exercise adherence in the elderly. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 23(2) (2 Suppl.), 80–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S. P., & Leigh, T. W. (1996). A new look at psychological climate and its relationship to job involvement, effort, and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(4), 358–368.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cha, S., Hewlin, P. F., Roberts, L. M., Buckman, B. R., Leroy, H., Steckler, E. L., Ostermeier, K., & Cooper, D. (2019). Being your true self at work: Integrating the fragmented research on authenticity in organizations. Academy of Management Annals, 13(2), 633–671.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Z. X., & Aryee, S. (2007). Delegation and employee work outcomes: An examination of the cultural context of mediating processes in China. Academy of Management Journal, 50(1), 226–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, W., Duan, J., & Tian, X. (2013). Why do not employees voice: A Chinese culture perspective. Advances in Psychological Science, 21(5), 905–913. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1042.2013.00905.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, H., Xie, B., Guo, Z., & Xin, X. (2016). The effects of career calling on study engagement: The perspective of social cognitive career theory. Journal of Psychological Science, 39(3), 659–665.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, B. S., Chou, L. F., Wu, T. Y., Huang, M. P., & Farh, J. L. (2004). Paternalistic leadership and subordinate responses: Establishing a leadership model in Chinese organizations. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 7(1), 89–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chi, N. W., & Han, T. S. (2008). Exploring the linkages between formal ownership and psychological ownership for the organization: The mediating role of organizational justice. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 81(4), 691–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., Kallgren, C. A., & Reno, R. R. (1991). A focus theory of normative conduct: A theoretical refinement and reevaluation of the role of norms in human behavior. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 24, 201–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conner, M., & Armitage, C. J. (1998). Extending the theory of planned behavior: A review and avenues for further research. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28(15), 1429–1464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Detert, J., & Burris, E. (2007). Leadership behavior and employee voice: Is the door really open? Academy of Management Journal, 50(4), 869–884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611–628.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duan, J., & Wei, Q. (2012). The structure of voice efficacy and its role in the formation mechanism of employee voice behavior. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 44(7), 972–985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan, J., Li, C., Xu, Y., & Wu, C.-H. (2017). Transformational leadership and employee voice behavior: A Pygmalion mechanism. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(5), 650–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychology safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 35–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edmondson, A. C. (2004). Psychological safety, trust, and learning in organizations: A group-level lens. In R. M. Kramer & K. S. Cook (Eds.), Trust and distrust in organizations: Dilemmas and approaches (pp. 239–272). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J. R., & Lambert, L. S. (2007). Methods for integrating moderation and mediation: A general analytical framework using moderated path analysis. Psychological Methods, 12, 1–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elsetouhi, A. M., Hammad, A. A., Nagm, A. A., & Elbaz, A. M. (2018). Perceived leader behavioral integrity and employee voice in SMEs travel agents: The mediating role of empowering leader behaviors. Tourism Management, 65, 100–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farh, J. L., Earley, P. C., & Lin, S. C. (1997). Impetus for action: A cultural analysis of justice and organizational citizenship behavior in Chinese society. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(3), 421–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farh, J. L., Hackett, R. D., & Liang, J. (2007). Individual-level cultural values as moderators of perceived organization support-employee outcome relationships in China: Comparing the effects of power distance and traditionality. Academy of Management Journal, 50(3), 715–729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable self-esteem variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(3), 39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, W. L., Avolio, B. J., Luthans, F., May, D. R., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2005). “Can you see the real me?” a self-based model of authentic leader and follower development. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 343–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guenter, H., Schreurs, B., van Emmerik, I. H., & Sun, S. (2017). What does it take to break the silence in teams: Authentic leadership and/or proactive followership? Applied Psychology: An International Review, 66(1), 49–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, W., Long, L.-R., & Kuvaas, B. (2016). Workgroup salary dispersion and turnover intention in China: A contingent examination of individual differences and the dual deprivation path explanation. Human Resource Management, 55(2), 301–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsiung, H. H. (2012). Authentic leadership and employee voice behavior: A multi-level psychological process. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(3), 349–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, C., Baranik, L. E., Cheng, Y.-N., Huang, J.-C., & Yang, C. C. (2020). Mentoring support and protege creativity: Examining the moderating roles of job dissatisfaction and Chinese traditionality. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 58(3), 335–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hui, C., Lee, C., & Rousseau, D. M. (2004). Employment relationships in China: Do workers relate to the organization or to people? Organization Science, 15(2), 232–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hui, C., Wong, A., & Tjosvold, D. (2007). Turnover intention and performance in China: The role of positive affectivity, Chinese values, perceived organizational support and constructive controversy. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 80(4), 735–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ilies, R., Morgeson, F. P., & Nahrgang, J. D. (2005). Authentic leadership and eudaemonic well-being: Understanding leader-follower outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 373–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, W. (2014). Study on the relationship of employees’ perceived organizational support, psychological ownership and voice behavior. Changchun: Jilin University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kish-Gephart, J. J., Detert, J. R., Treviño, L. K., & Edmondson, A. C. (2009). Silenced by fear: The nature, sources, and consequences of fear at work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 29, 163–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, C., & Armstrong, C. M. J. (2018). Fashion leadership and intention toward clothing product-service retail models. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 22(4), 571–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lepine, J. A., & Van Dyne, L. (1998). Predicting voice behavior in work groups. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 853–868.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, F., Yu, K. F., Yang, J., Qi, Z., & Fu, J. H. (2014). Authentic leadership, traditionality, and interactional justice in the chinese context. Management and Organization Review, 10, 249–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, S.-L., Huo, Y., & Long, L.-R. (2017). Chinese traditionality matters: Effects of differentiated empowering leadership on followers’ trust in leaders and work outcomes. Journal of Business Ethics, 145, 81–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, J. (2014). Ethical leadership and employee voice: Examining a moderated-mediation model. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 46, 252–264.

  • Liang, S. (2017). Linking leader authentic personality to employee voice behavior: A multilevel mediation model of authentic leadership development. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology, 26(3), 434–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, J., Farh, C. I. C., & Farh, J. L. (2012). Psychological antecedents of promotive and prohibitive voice: A two-wave examination. Academy of Management Journal, 55(1), 71–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Little, T. D., Cunningham, W. A., Shahar, G., & Widaman, K. F. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 9(2), 151–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J., Kwan, H. K., Wu, L. Z., & Wu, W. K. (2010a). Abusive supervision and subordinate supervisor-directed deviance: The moderating role of traditional values and the mediating role of revenge cognitions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 83, 835–856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, W., Zhu, R. H., & Yang, Y. K. (2010b). I warn you because I like you: Voice behavior, employee identifications, and transformational leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 21(1), 189–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J., Kwan, H. K., Fu, P. P., & Mao, Y. (2013). Ethical leadership and job performance in China: The roles of workplace friendships and traditionality. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(4), 564–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, J., & Zhao, J. (2013). A study about the influential mechanism of authentic leadership on employee voice behavior. Soft Science, 27(12), 41–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, D. R., Gison, R. L., & Harter, L. M. (2004). The psychological condition of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77(1), 11–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, V., Cavazotte, F., & Dutra, J. P. (2020). Psychosocial and organizational antecedents of knowledge sharing in the workplace. Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 24(4), 283–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, E. W. (2011). Employee voice behavior: Integration and directions for future research. The Academy of Management Annals, 5, 373–412.

  • Morrison, E. W., & Milliken, F. J. (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 706–725.

  • Morrison, E. W., Wheeler-Smith, S. L., & Kamdar, D. (2011). Speaking up in groups: A cross-level study of group voice climate and voice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 183–191.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Netemeyer, R. G., Johnston, M. W., & Burton, S. (1990). Analysis of role conflict and role ambiguity in a structural equation framework. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 148–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, K.-Y., Van Dyne, L., & Ang, S. (2019). Speaking out and speaking up in multicultural settings: A two-study examination of cultural intelligence and voice behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 151, 150–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niu, W., Yuan, Q., Qian, S., & Liu, Z. (2018). Authentic leadership and employee job behaviors: The mediating role of relational and organizational identification and the moderating role of LMX. Current Psychology, 37, 982–994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, J. L., Kostova, T., & Dirks, K. T. (2001). Toward a theory of psychological ownership in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 298–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plotnikoff, R. C., Lippke, S., Courneya, K. S., Birkett, N., & Sigal, R. J. (2008). Physical activity and social cognitive theory: A test in a population sample of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57(4), 628–643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influence on altruism. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 10, 222–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, S. J., & Zhou, J. (2003). Transformational leadership, conservation, and creativity: Evidence from Korea. Academy of Management Journal, 46(6), 703–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spreitzer, G. M., Perttula, K. H., & Xin, K. (2005). Traditionality matters: An examination of the effectiveness of transformational leadership in the United States and Taiwan. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(3), 205–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su, F., Cheng, D., & Wen, S. (2019). Multilevel impacts of transformational leadership on service quality: Evidence from China. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1252.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dyne, L., & Pierce, J. L. (2004). Psychological ownership and feelings of possession: Three field studies predicting employee attitudes and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(4), 439–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walumbwa, F., & Schaubroeck, J. (2009). Leader personality traits and employee voice behavior: Mediating roles of ethical leadership and work group psychological safety. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(5), 1275–1286.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walumbwa, F. O., Avilio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. Z. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Oke, A. (2011a). Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 4–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walumbwa, F. O., Mayer, D. M., Wang, P., Wang, H., Workman, K., & Christensen, A. (2011b). Linking ethical leadership to employee performance: The roles of leader-member exchange, self-efficacy, and organizational identification. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 115(2), 204–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H., Law, S. K., Hackett, R., Wang, D. X., & Chen, Z. X. (2005). Leader-member exchange as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and followers’ performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 48, 420–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H., Sui, Y., Luthans, F., Wang, D., & Wu, Y. (2014). Impact of authentic leadership on performance: Role of followers’ positive psychological capital and relational processes. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 5–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weierter, S. J. M. (1997). Who wants to play “follow the leader?” a theory of charismatic relationships based on routinized charisma and follower characteristics. The Leadership Quarterly, 8(2), 171–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K. E., & Bond, M. J. (2002). The roles of self-efficacy, outcome expectancies and social support in the self-care behaviours of diabetics. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 7(2), 127–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, K. S. (1985). New filial piety in modern society. Chinese Cultural Renaissance Monthly, 19(1), 51–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, K. S. (2004). Chinese psychology and behavior: An indigenous study. Beijing: China Renmin University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, K. S., Yu, A. B., & Yeh, M. H. (1989). Chinese individual modernity and traditionality: Construction definition and measurement [in Chinese]. Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary Conference on Chinese Psychology and Behavior, Taiwan, pp 287–354.

  • Yukl, G. A. (2006). Leadership in organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zou, Z., & Yang, Z. (2013). The effect of authentic leadership on employee voice behavior: Mediated by voice efficacy and moderated by leadership-member exchange. Human Resources Development of China, 21, 41–45.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This research was supported by The Project for the Guangdong Provincial Education Science 13th Five-year Plan (2018GXJK101) and The Lingnan Normal University Special Project for Talents (ZW1803).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social and Public Administration, Lingnan Normal Univeristy, Zhanjiang, 524048, China

    Zhihua Xu

  2. School of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, 611130, China

    Fu Yang

  3. School of Labour and Human Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China

    Jianfeng Peng

Authors
  1. Zhihua Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fu Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jianfeng Peng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhihua Xu.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xu, Z., Yang, F. & Peng, J. How does authentic leadership influence employee voice? From the perspective of the theory of planned behavior. Curr Psychol 42, 1851–1869 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01464-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01464-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation