Bad time to be humble! When and why leaders should not be humble

Abstract

PurposeAlthough leader humility is generally considered a positive leadership behavior, this study aims to examine when the positive influences of leader humility are likely weakened.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a two-wave survey. Ordinary least squares regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses.FindingsAlthough leader humility is positively related to perceived leader support, this relationship is weakened when the environment is uncertain, resulting in comparatively lower follower performance.Practical implicationsLeaders should be aware that environmental constraints may weaken the desired outcomes of humility and therefore adapt leadership to situational needs.Originality/valueContrasting to predominant research on leader humility, this study examines a critical boundary condition by which its positive influences are compromised. In light of the disruption caused by the ongoing COVID-19, this study suggests that what usually are considered positive characteristics of leader humility are likely perceived as little leader support when the environment is uncertain. Findings of this study echo contingency leadership theories, which suggest that effective leadership should be context-dependent.