Linking Authentic Leadership With Employee Initiative Behavior and Task Performance: The Mediating Role of Emotional Sharing and Communication Satisfaction

• Published in: SAGE open Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 215824402210866
• Main Authors: Kim, Jeong Sik, Park, Jong Gyu, Park, Hyun Jung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2022; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Communication; Leadership; authentic leadership; communication satisfaction; initiative behavior; task performance; emotional sharing
• ISSN: 2158-2440; 2158-2440
• DOI: 10.1177/21582440221086657

Our study aims to explore the process through which authentic leadership leads to employees’ initiative behavior and task performance. In particular, we focused on the mediating roles of emotional sharing and communication satisfaction. Based on data collected from 242 employee-supervisor dyads, we found that authentic leadership was significantly related to emotional sharing, which was sequentially significantly related to communication satisfaction. Communication satisfaction was significantly associated with initiative behavior and task performance. In addition, emotional sharing and communication satisfaction played significant mediating roles not only in the relationship between authentic leadership and initiative behavior, but also in the relationship between authentic leadership and task performance. The limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.