Abstract

The study pursues to investigate the effect of authentic leadership on followers` voice behavior. In particular followers` organizational cynicism as a moderator and person-job fit as a moderator are also examined to help understand the mechanism and situation on the relationship between authentic leadership and followers` voice behavior. Authentic leadership theory focuses on the positive and developmental relationship between leader and followers. Followers tend to actively engage in their works and jobs and express their ideas and opinions when they work with authentic leader because they believe that authentic leader intends to provide emotional and cognitive supports based on high level mutual trust. For this study, a set of two hundreds sixty-six respondents who work in a public organization was employed to test hypotheses. The results of study show that authentic leadership has a positive, significant effect on followers` voice behavior. Thus the relationship between authentic leadership and followers` voice behavior is mediated through organizational cynicism. However the moderating effect of person-job fit was not supported in this study. From the results, this study helps understand the relationship between authentic leadership and followers` voice behavior. Authentic leader presents his or her authentic self to others, share information openly, and try to minimize displays of immature emotions and feelings. Followers who work with an authentic leader tend to actively engage in organizational issues to improve its efficiency and effectiveness or rectify wrong practices or work processes because authentic leaders foster followers` self-discovery process. These enhanced self-discovery or self-clarity lead voice behaviors of followers. In particular, authentic leadership decrease the level of organizational cynicism among followers, and the decreased organizational cynicism links to active voice behavior. Mutual trusts and goals which authentic leader and followers have developed encourage followers to identify less with personal issues or goals, and more with the core values of the collective(Howell & Shamir, 2005). When followers are interested in the collective issues, they are more likely to present their ideas or opinions which are helpful to improve work or organizational performance. However, the moderating effect of person-job fit was not supported. There are two plausible explanations. One is the inappropriate operational definition of the construct. Another comes from the context where employees work. The employees work public agency for education, and their jobs regularly rotate. The job assignments may influence less with employees` attitude and behavior rather than do organizational systems or relationship with other. In conclusion, some implications and limitations are presented.

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