Personal need for structure as a boundary condition for humor in leadership
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In: Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 38, No. 1, 01.01.2017, p. 87-107.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Personal need for structure as a boundary condition for humor in leadership
AU - Pundt, Alexander
AU - Venz, Laura
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - Recent research has established a positive relationship between humor in leadership and organizational behavior variables. However, neither the mechanisms nor the boundary conditions of the positive effects of humor in leadership are completely understood. In this study, we contribute to these questions by investigating the relationship between humor in leadership and follower commitment and burnout in more detail. We propose that these relationships unfold via a relational process and specified this relational process in terms of leader–member exchange. Moreover, we assume that these relationships depend on followers' personal need for structure. We tested the hypothesized moderated-mediation model in a two-wave survey study with 142 employees. Our results support the proposed model. We found the predicted indirect effect of humor on commitment and disengagement to be stronger for followers low in need for structure. However, we did not find the proposed effects for emotional exhaustion. We discuss implications for leadership theory, humor theory, and for leadership training and practice.
AB - Recent research has established a positive relationship between humor in leadership and organizational behavior variables. However, neither the mechanisms nor the boundary conditions of the positive effects of humor in leadership are completely understood. In this study, we contribute to these questions by investigating the relationship between humor in leadership and follower commitment and burnout in more detail. We propose that these relationships unfold via a relational process and specified this relational process in terms of leader–member exchange. Moreover, we assume that these relationships depend on followers' personal need for structure. We tested the hypothesized moderated-mediation model in a two-wave survey study with 142 employees. Our results support the proposed model. We found the predicted indirect effect of humor on commitment and disengagement to be stronger for followers low in need for structure. However, we did not find the proposed effects for emotional exhaustion. We discuss implications for leadership theory, humor theory, and for leadership training and practice.
KW - Business psychology
KW - humor
KW - leadership
KW - moderated mediation
KW - personal need for structure
KW - relational mechanism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84992699621&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/job.2112
DO - 10.1002/job.2112
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:84992699621
VL - 38
SP - 87
EP - 107
JO - Journal of Organizational Behavior
JF - Journal of Organizational Behavior
SN - 0894-3796
IS - 1
ER -