The Humbling Effect of Significant Relationships: A Field Experiment Examining the Effect of Significant-Other Activation on Leaders' Expressed Humility

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wang, Lin; Li, Junchao (Jason); Owens, Bradley P.; Shi, Lihua; Wang, Mo
• 署名单位: Sun Yat Sen University; Rutgers University System; Rutgers University New Brunswick; Rutgers University Newark; Brigham Young University; Guangzhou University; State University System of Florida; University of Florida
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2023.17377
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 2160-2177
• 关键词: leader humility; leadership; significant-other activation; social transference; RELATIONAL IDENTITY

摘要

Recent research has consistently highlighted the benefits of leader humility within organizations. However, much less is known about how leader humility can be contextually promoted beyond individual predispositions. This paper draws from the social -cognitive model of transference to illuminate how the contextual activation of significant -other schemas can enhance a leader's expressed humility in the workplace. Specifically, we propose that the activation of significant -other schemas can lead to increased interpersonal warmth and psychological safety among leaders, which in turn, promote humility in their interactions with followers. Furthermore, we posit that these effects are amplified in leaders who possess a strong relational identity. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a field experiment with 97 leaders and their 194 followers, where we randomly applied daily significant -other activation interventions to the leaders and surveyed the leaders and their corresponding followers across 10 consecutive workdays. Our findings provide support for the positive impact of significant -other schema activation on leader humility and confirm the moderating role of a leader's relational identity. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.