Watching you descend, I help others rise: the influence of leader humility on prosocial motivation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Anthony Silard ◽  
Chao Miao ◽  
Bradley P. Owens
Keyword(s):  
Great Promise ◽  
Contagion Effect ◽  
Leader Behaviors ◽  
Fundamental Nature ◽  
Work Meaningfulness ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Leader Humility

Abstract The fundamental nature of humility and prosocial motivation entails transcending self-interest to enact behaviors that benefit others. We theorize that leader humility may enact a self-transcendent contagion effect that will manifest in enhanced follower prosocial motivation. Due to the fundamental nature of humility, this construct holds great promise in understanding how contextual signals (i.e., leader behaviors) shape prosocial motivation in followers. In this study, we find that leader humility impacts follower prosocial motivation through followers' perception of work meaningfulness. Specifically, we found that leader humility is positively related to prosocial motivation. We also found that this relationship is mediated by followers' perception of work meaningfulness, and that this mediation is moderated by followers' perception of relational vitality. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Empathy and Altruism

2009 ◽  
pp. 416-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Daniel Batson ◽  
Nadia Ahmad ◽  
David A. Lishner
Keyword(s):  
Research Evidence ◽  
Empathic Concern ◽  
Moral Principle ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Altruistic Motivation ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Separate Form ◽  
Practical Implications

Do we humans ever, in any degree, care about others for their sakes and not simply for our own? Psychology has long assumed that everything humans do, no matter how nice and noble, is motivated by self-interest. However, research over the past three decades suggests that this assumption is wrong. This research has focused on the empathy—altruism hypothesis, which claims that empathic concern—an other-oriented emotional response elicited by and congruent with the perceived welfare of a person in need—produces altruistic motivation—motivation with the ultimate goal of increasing another's welfare. Results of the over 30 experiments designed to test this hypothesis against various egoistic alternatives have proved remarkably supportive, leading to the tentative conclusion that feeling empathic concern for a person in need does indeed evoke altruistic motivation to see that need relieved. Sources of altruistic motivation other than empathy also have been proposed, but as yet, there is not compelling research evidence to support these proposals. Two additional forms of prosocial motivation have also been proposed: collectivism and principlism. Collectivism—motivation with the ultimate goal of benefiting some group or collective as a whole—has been claimed to result from group identity. Principlism—motivation with the ultimate goal of upholding some moral principle—has long been advocated by religious teachers and moral philosophers. Whether either is a separate form of motivation, independent of and irreducible to egoism, is not yet clear. Research done to test for the existence of empathy-induced altruism may serve as a useful model for future research testing for the existence of collectivism and principlism. Theoretical and practical implications of the empathy-altruism hypothesis are briefly considered.

scholarly journals Obligation or Desire: Variation in Motivation for Compliance With COVID-19 Public Health Guidance

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Ai ◽  
Glenn Adams ◽  
Xian Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Psychological Experience ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Health Guidance

Why do people comply with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health guidance? This study considers cultural-psychological foundations of variation in beliefs about motivations for such compliance. Specifically, we focused on beliefs about two sources of prosocial motivation: desire to protect others and obligation to society. Across two studies, we observed that the relative emphasis on the desire to protect others (vs. the obligation to the community) as an explanation for compliance was greater in the United States settings associated with cultural ecologies of abstracted independence than in Chinese settings associated with cultural ecologies of embedded interdependence. We observed these patterns for explanations of psychological experience of both others (Study 1) and self (Study 2), and for compliance with mandates for both social distancing and face masks (Study 2). Discussion of results considers both practical implications for motivating compliance with public health guidance and theoretical implications for denaturalizing prevailing accounts of prosocial motivation.

scholarly journals How Gig Worker Responds to Negative Customer Treatment: The Effects of Work Meaningfulness and Traits of Psychological Resilience

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
He Xiongtao ◽  
Lu Wenzhu ◽  
Luo Haibin ◽  
Liu Shanshi
Keyword(s):  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Interpersonal Interaction ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Hierarchical Multiple Regression ◽  
Work Meaningfulness ◽  
Service Sabotage ◽  
Trait Resilience ◽  
Survey Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

The negative interpersonal interaction between customers and platform gig workers has become a problem for platform owners and government. This study investigates the role of negative customer treatment in the context of gig work and its impact on gig workers’ sabotage behavior. A questionnaire survey approach was used in the study, collected three-wave survey data from 258 Chinese gig workers including food-deliver platform workers and app-based ride-hailing drivers. Both effects of the mediation and moderation were tested, all of which find support, using hierarchical multiple regression by SPSS22.0. Results indicate that negative customer treatment can also predict gig workers’ service sabotage through work meaningfulness. Furthermore, positive customer treatment acted as an effective safeguard against the effects of negative customer treatment on employee service sabotage. Trait psychological resilience can also mitigate the effects of a low level of work meaningfulness. The manuscript’s focus provides an interesting angle to the previous research, especially the inclusion of work meaningfulness and trait resilience, on negative customer treatment in the context of gig work. This study contributes to further broaden the perspective of conservation of resource (COR) theory for individual intrinsic motivation analysis. Practical implications for platform management and government governance have also been discussed in this manuscript.

Stay Humble and Fly High: The Roles of Subordinate Voice and Competitive Work Context in the Linkage Between Leader Humility and Career Success

2021 ◽  
pp. 154805182110599
Author(s):  
Danni Wang ◽  
Amy Yi Ou ◽  
Lynda Jiwen Song
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Career Success ◽  
Work Context ◽  
Working Adults ◽  
Chinese Company ◽  
Occupy Central ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Leader Humility ◽  
Work Contexts

This study examines the relationship between leaders’ humility and their career success. We propose that humble leaders are more likely to occupy central positions in their subordinate teams’ voice networks where they improve their own performance and gain favorable reward recommendations. We also argue that in seemingly disadvantageous competitive work contexts, humble leaders become more central in the team voice network and increase their career prospects. We found support for these hypotheses in a multisource field study of 116 supervisors, 461 subordinates, and 34 shop managers from a Chinese company and in a vignette-based experiment with 233 working adults. Theoretical and practical implications for career success, leader humility, and voice literature are discussed.

Assessing the dynamics of knowledge transfer between masters and apprentices

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 30-32
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Expert Knowledge ◽  
Evolutionary Game ◽  
Optimum Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Training Path ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This research paper concentrates on the deployment of asymmetric evolutionary game theory to reveal how innovative organizations best effect knowledge sharing by aligning the incentivized desire of masters to share their expert knowledge with the self-interest of apprentices who are highly motivated to accept that knowledge on an accelerated training path. These insights improve the strategic capacity of human resources teams to add value to their organization by encouraging the optimum form of knowledge transfer between masters and apprentices. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The meaningfulness of managerial work: case of Taiwanese employees

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsien-Chun Chen ◽  
Amber Yun-Ping Lee ◽  
I-Heng Chen ◽  
Hsin-Li Wu
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Practices ◽  
Work Meaningfulness ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
Task Significance

Purpose The importance and benefit of work meaningfulness has been recognized from many previous studies. The purpose of this study aimed at how employees in Taiwan sense their work as meaningful by introducing prosocial motivation along with two organizational-related factors – task significance and external prestige. Design/methodology/approach In total, 451 questionnaires were used to analyze the relationships among task significance, external prestige, prosocial motivation and work meaningfulness. Findings The results confirm the research hypotheses. This study advanced our understanding of how work meaningfulness arises through an integration of an individual’s psychological state with work contexts. The implications for managerial practices and future research are discussed. Originality/value This research represented an initial empirical test for measuring these constructs in Taiwanese society. While all the measurements have good reliabilities, it is only a good start. The examination of these constructs using these measurements needs additional research, preferably, in different cultural and industrial contexts.

Explaining the measurement and evaluation stasis

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Nothhaft ◽  
Hanna Stensson
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Thought Experiment ◽  
Principal Agent Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constructive Dialogue ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Measurement And Evaluation ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the “evaluation deadlock” or “stasis” diagnosed by many authors. The explanation relies on a thought experiment. Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual and builds on a thought experiment inspired by qualitative research such as interviews with communication consultants in Sweden. It makes use of principal–agent theory and Akerlof’s theory of lemon markets. Findings A plausible explanation for the evaluation stasis requires consideration of practitioners’ self-interest as businesspeople. The deadlock is explained by an anomaly in practitioner populations and passive or active but covert resistance. If the long-time neglect of measurement and evaluation has led to expectation inflation and overpromising, even well-performing actors might shy away from rigorous measurement and evaluation practices in their own mandates, since they fear being measured against promotional, not realistic standards. At the same time, on the level of industry discourse, these practitioners would still advocate for measurement and evaluation in principle, so as to avoid the suspicion of underperformance. Research limitations/implications The paper suggests an explanation for further empirical investigation. It does not attempt to demonstrate anything else than that the suggestion is plausible and that it warrants further investigation. Practical implications The scientific community engaged in the measurement and evaluation debate appears puzzled by the discrepancy between practitioners’ words and actions. The authors hope that the paper contributes to a more realistic and thus more constructive dialogue between practitioners and academics in the measurement and evaluation debate. Originality/value Inspired by Alvesson and Spicer’s concept of functional stupidity, the paper argues that attempts to explain the evaluation stasis have been marked by circumspection and narrowness. At present, explanations for the evaluation stasis tend to focus on lack of knowledge or inadequate systems or frameworks. The paper offers a more comprehensive explanation.

scholarly journals Why happy employees help

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1001-1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Inam Ul Haq ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Meaningfulness ◽  
Helping Behaviour ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Voluntary Basis ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Positive Work

Purpose Drawing from conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction and helping behaviour, and, particularly, how it may be moderated by two personal resources (work meaningfulness and collectivistic orientation) and one organisational resource (organisational support). Design/methodology/approach Quantitative data were collected from a survey administered to employees and their supervisors in a Pakistani-based organisation. Findings The usefulness of job satisfaction for stimulating helping behaviour is greater when employees believe that their work activities are meaningful, emphasise collective over individual interests, and believe that their employer cares for their well-being. Practical implications The results inform organisations about the circumstances in which they can best leverage employees’ positive job energy, which arises from their job satisfaction, to encourage their voluntary assistance of other organisational members. Originality/value This study extends research on positive work behaviours by examining the concurrent roles that job satisfaction and several contingent factors play in promoting employee helping behaviour. In particular, it highlights the invigorating effects of these factors on the usefulness of the enthusiasm that employees feel about their job situation for increasing their willingness to extend help to other members, on a voluntary basis.

Frugal creativity: a new conceptualization as planned behavior

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saleha Ahmad ◽  
Madhushree Nanda Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Planned Behavior ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Frugal Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prosocial Motivation ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Established Firms ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to introduce, define and propose a model for the concept of “frugal creativity” (FC), as the front end of the frugal innovation (FI) process. Modeling FC as a planned behavior makes it useful to large organizations who may wish to strategically promote such behavior. Design/methodology/approach Identifying common themes from the literature, the authors propose a comprehensive definition of FI. Using this definition, they define FC. Next, a model for FC is proposed based on the theory of planned behavior. Findings The conceptual model proposes that frugal creativity intention (FCI) can be predicted by the prosocial motivation, dissatisfaction with status-quo and the threat-opportunity perception of resource constraints of an individual. The authors further propose that FCI would translate into FC more frequently when work is perceived as meaningful. Research limitations/implications The proposed model opens avenues for further conceptual and empirical research in the area, although it first requires empirical validation. Practical implications The model of FC as a planned behavior can help multinationals, established firms or governments, seeking to use FI as a deliberate strategic choice, to develop suitable human capital and context for FI. Originality/value First, the authors propose a comprehensive definition for FI by consolidating related constructs. Second, they introduce the concept of FC as the idea generation stage of FI. Third, they propose a model for FC as a planned behavior. To the authors’ knowledge, the last two have not been attempted earlier.

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