Exploring the Influence of Abusive and Ethical Leadership on Supervisor and Coworker-Targeted Impression Management

Abstract

The present study was conducted to explore the association between abusive supervision and ethical leadership and employees’ use of workplace impression management (IM) behavior. We investigated five assertive and three defensive IM behaviors and distinguished between IM directed at supervisors versus coworkers. Analysis of data from 288 working adults suggests that self-promotion, exemplification, and apologies were more frequently directed toward supervisors, while supplication, intimidation, ingratiation, and excuses were more frequently directed toward coworkers. Abusive supervision was associated with increased self-promotion, supplication, exemplification, intimidation, justifications, and excuses. Ethical leadership was associated with reduced intimidation, justifications, and excuses. Leader role modeling was a moderator strengthening the positive association between abusive supervision and supplication, intimidation, and excuses, while strengthening the negative association between ethical supervision and excuses. These findings and their implications are discussed.