When and why proactive employees get promoted: A trait activation perspective
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
Published on: April 18, 2017
Ying Zhang1, Fuxi Wang2, Guodong Cui3
1School of Labor and Human Resources, Renmin University of China, 100089 Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Although there is a consensus that workplace proactivity is vital for both employees and organizations, little is known as whether proactivity is beneficial for employees to develop leadership capabilities. Drawing from trait activation theory, we theorize that proactive personality could enhance employee promotability through taking charge behavior. We also propose that task structure determines the odds that proactive employees might be promoted. We tested the theoretical model with data from 226 employees and their direct leaders in 26 teams at three time points. The results of multi-level path analysis indicated that the positive relationship between proactive personality and taking charge was stronger in more organic work unit, which in turn, positively related to employees' promotability. These findings provide new knowledge in understanding the impacts of proactive personality and offers important empirical practices for proactivity management for organizations.
More Related Videos
06:42Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
06:39Electroencephalographic, Heart Rate, and Galvanic Skin Response Assessment for an Advertising Perception Study: Application to Antismoking Public Service Announcements
Published on: August 28, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Trait Theory by Gordon Allport
Drive-Reduction Theory: Push Theory of Motivation
Incentive Theory: Pull Theory of Motivation
The theory differentiates between...
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Humanistic Psychology
This approach...