Empowering leadership and employee constructive deviance: Role breadth self-efficacy as a mediator

Abstract

Although researchers have demonstrated the significance of leadership style in facilitating employee constructive deviance, there is still limited understanding of the precise process via which an empowering leadership style contributes to the promotion of constructive deviance. Based on social cognitive theory, we constructed a model to explain why empowering leadership can increase employees’ constructive deviance, and tested it with data obtained from 217 supervisor–subordinate dyads in South Chinese enterprises. An examination using structural equation modeling revealed direct and indirect positive associations between empowering leadership and constructive deviance, mediated by role breadth self-efficacy. The findings of this study establish a theoretical framework and offer practical recommendations for leaders seeking to implement effective empowerment tactics aimed at motivating staff to engage in constructive deviance.