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Wednesday, July 24, 2024

“Abuser” or “Tough Love” Boss?: The moderating role of leader performance in shaping the labels employees use in response to abusive supervision

Lount, R. B., Choi, W., & Tepper, B. J. (2024).
Organizational Behavior and
Human Decision Processes, 183, 104339.

Abstract

We invoke leader categorization theory and labeling theory to examine the circumstances under which individuals come to perceive their managerial leaders as “abusers” or “tough love” bosses. In a field study, we show that leader performance moderates the relationship between a leader’s abusive supervision and the degree to which their followers label them as an abuser or a tough love leader. Heightened leader performance lowers the willingness to label the leader as an “abuser” while increasing one’s labeling the leader as a “tough love” boss. This study also documents that leader performance moderates the indirect effect between abusive supervision and upward hostility (through abuser labeling) and the indirect effect between abusive supervision and positive career expectations (through tough love labeling). In a follow-up experiment, we again document that leader performance moderates the relationship between abusive supervision and the degree to which followers label their leaders as an abuser. Additionally, we provide support for a moderated indirect effect on a range of negative behavioral outcomes directed toward the leader through abuser labeling. We discuss the studies’ implications for theory, future research, and practice pertaining to abusive supervision.

Highlights

• Leader performance moderates labeling leaders who display abusive supervision.

• High leader performance weakens abuser labeling following abusive supervision.

• High leader performance strengthens tough love labeling following abusive supervision.

• Abuser labeling promotes upward hostility toward supervisor.

• Tough love labeling promotes increased career expectations.