The (in)Congruence Effect of Authoritative-Benevolent Leadership

Abstract

Drawing on the two-wave data of 336 employees, we adopt Latent Polynomial Regression and Response Surface Analysis to test the congruence/asymmetrical incongruence effect of authoritative and benevolent leadership on employees’ thriving at work. Utilizing a paradox perspective, our results show that authoritative and benevolent leadership can be synergistically combined which enable leaders to manage these two contradicting roles in paternalistic leadership. We found that the congruence effect of authoritative and benevolent leadership on employees’ thriving at work becomes greater than the sum of their individual impacts. Moreover, the most positive effects on leader-member exchange (LMX) is achieved at the simultaneous maximization of authoritative and benevolent leadership, rather than pursuing a balance or middle ground of the two leadership styles. Third, LMX mediates the impact of (in)congruence between authoritative and benevolent leadership on employee thriving at work. Discussion and limitation are provided.