Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms by which leader humor affects followers’ change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. Specifically, we examine the mediation effect of team commitment in the leader humor–change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior link and whether it varied by leader Machiavellianism. Using multi-sourced data from the four battalions of the Republic of Korean Army, our findings show that team commitment mediated the positive relationship between leaders’ affiliative humor and followers’ change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. Furthermore, the mediated relationship was stronger when leader Machiavellianism was lower. On the other hand, we found no support for the negative relationship between leaders’ aggressive humor and followers’ change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Highlights
Because leader humor could provide employees with resources to engage in proactive work behaviors, including taking the initiative or making a voice for their team’s interests and success, we propose that the extent to which employees engage in change-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors could vary by the forms of leader humor
We propose that the followers’ team commitment, which refers to the relative strength of identification and involvement that followers perceive about their team [17,18], is a mediator that explains the relationship between leader humor and change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior
We found that the indirect effect of affiliative humor on change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior via team commitment was positive when leader Machiavellianism was low (indirect effect = 0.159, SE = 0.076, CI: (0.027, 0.318))
Summary
Change-Oriented OrganizationalEmployees’ proactive behaviors at work are vital for innovation in organizations [1].Previous studies have shown that leadership plays an important role in facilitating employees’ proactive behaviors [2,3,4]. Among many proactive behaviors critical for workplace innovation, change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior has emerged as an important dimension of performance, expanding the scope of organizational citizenship behavior to better account for the growing competition, uncertainty, and turbulent changes in the dynamic business environment [7]. Because it captures one’s attitudes toward innovation and organizational changes [8], and one’s initiative toward solving work-related problems proactively and progressively, the voice that calls for change and makes a constructive effort to improve the organization’s functionality [7] can energize innovation at work. Exploring the mechanisms by which leaders’ humor affects followers’ change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior is a valuable avenue of inquiry
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