The positive effects of authoritarian leadership on subordinates: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

Using a new theoretical perspective that authoritarian leadership can be the source of challenge and hindrance stressors, we hypothesize that the relationships between authoritarian leadership and employee performances can be both positive and negative. In particular, authoritarian leadership is positively related to performance via challenge stressors and negatively related to performance via hindrance stressors. Further, we hypothesize that the importance of performance to self-esteem Level (IPSE) of subordinates will moderate the effects of authoritarian leadership. We test this model using two studies. Results from Study 1 reveal that authoritarian leadership have contrasting effects on task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) through challenge stressors and hindrance stressors. Furthermore, in Study 2, we find that the positive relationship between authoritarian leadership and performance is stronger for subordinates low on IPSE.