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Paradoxical Leadership and Employee Task Performance: A Sense-Making Perspective
Wei Zhang1, Shudi Liao2,3, Jianqiao Liao1
1School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Frontiers in Psychology
|January 3, 2022
Summary
Paradoxical leadership boosts employee task performance by enhancing adaptability. This leadership style is most effective when employees exhibit strong Zhong Yong thinking and organizational identification.
Area of Science:
- Management Science
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Paradoxical leadership is gaining research interest, but its effectiveness mechanisms and boundary conditions require further investigation.
- Understanding why and when paradoxical leadership impacts employee outcomes is crucial for organizational success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the mediating role of employee adaptability in the relationship between paradoxical leadership and task performance.
- To examine the moderating effects of Zhong Yong thinking and organizational identification on the paradoxical leadership-employee performance link.
Main Methods:
- A multi-source, multi-wave survey was conducted with 235 employees and their supervisors in southern China.
- Regression analyses were employed to test the proposed hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Paradoxical leadership was found to positively influence employee task performance through enhanced adaptability.
- The positive effect of paradoxical leadership on task performance was stronger for employees with higher levels of Zhong Yong thinking and organizational identification.
Conclusions:
- The study elucidates the underlying mechanisms (adaptability) and boundary conditions (Zhong Yong thinking, organizational identification) of paradoxical leadership effectiveness.
- Findings offer theoretical insights into paradoxical leadership and provide practical guidance for managers aiming to optimize employee performance.
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