Leading by example: the case of leader OCB

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Leadership Studies
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Leadership theories acknowledge role modeling, but empirical research on leaders influencing group behavior via exemplary actions is limited.
• Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) is crucial for team performance, yet the leader's role in fostering it requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically develop and empirically test a moderated mediation model examining the effects of leader OCB on group OCB.
• To investigate how leader OCB influences group OCB directly and indirectly through enhanced group beliefs about OCB's worth.
• To identify moderators influencing the direct and indirect pathways of leader OCB to group OCB.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a moderated mediation model for theoretical development and empirical testing.
• Collected data from 683 group members, 67 group managers, and their supervisors across 67 intact work groups.
• Employed statistical analyses to support the hypothesized moderated mediation model.

Main Results:

• Leader organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) was found to directly enhance group OCB.
• Leader OCB indirectly promoted group OCB by increasing the group's perceived value of OCB.
• Specific moderators were identified that influence the strength of these direct and indirect relationships.

Conclusions:

• Leading by example through leader OCB is an effective strategy for improving team performance.
• Fostering group belief in the value of OCB strengthens the impact of leader role modeling.
• The study provides a robust model for understanding and enhancing leader influence on team citizenship behaviors.