Publications by year
2023
Vongswasdi P, Leroy H, Shemla M, Hoever I, Khattab J (2023). Influencing diversity beliefs through a personal testimonial, promotion-focused approach.
Journal of Organizational Behavior,
44(1), 1-18.
Abstract:
Influencing diversity beliefs through a personal testimonial, promotion-focused approach
Although researchers have highlighted the importance of diversity beliefs (i.e. team members' perceived value of diversity) for the elaboration of information in teams, little attention has been paid to whether and how diversity beliefs can be shaped. Drawing on theory and research on team diversity beliefs, we propose that diversity beliefs are more effectively influenced by interventions using a promotion (compared with a prevention) focus toward diversity and personal testimonial (compared with factual) knowledge. Results from an experiment conducted with 175 teams revealed that both a promotion focus and personal testimonial knowledge independently contributed to more positive diversity beliefs and consequently increased team elaboration of task-relevant information as well as integration of different perspectives. Our results reveal key factors that can influence diversity beliefs and underscore the pivotal role of diversity beliefs in improving the extent to which team members elaborate information and integrate diverse perspectives.
Abstract.
DOI.
Dragoni L, Leroy H, Peng A, Stam D (2023). Welcoming Fireside Chats to the Field of Leadership.
JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES,
30(2), 133-136.
Author URL.
DOI.
2022
Leroy H, Buengeler C, Veestraeten M, Shemla M, J. Hoever I (2022). Fostering Team Creativity Through Team-Focused Inclusion: the Role of Leader Harvesting the Benefits of Diversity and Cultivating Value-In-Diversity Beliefs.
GROUP & ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT,
47(4), 798-839.
Author URL.
DOI.
Leroy HL, Anisman-Razin M, Avolio BJ, Bresman H, Stuart Bunderson J, Burris ER, Claeys J, Detert JR, Dragoni L, Giessner SR, et al (2022). Walking Our Evidence-Based Talk: the Case of Leadership Development in Business Schools.
Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies,
29(1), 5-32.
Abstract:
Walking Our Evidence-Based Talk: the Case of Leadership Development in Business Schools
Academics have lamented that practitioners do not always adopt scientific evidence in practice, yet while academics preach evidence-based management (EBM), they do not always practice it. This paper extends prior literature on difficulties to engage in EBM with insights from behavioral integrity (i.e. the study of what makes individuals and collectives walk their talk). We focus on leader development, widely used but often critiqued for lacking evidence. Analyzing 60 interviews with academic directors of leadership centers at top business schools, we find that the selection of programs does not always align with scientific recommendations nor do schools always engage in high-quality program evaluation. Respondents further indicated a wide variety of challenges that help explain the disconnect between business schools claiming a but practicing B. Behavioral Integrity theory would argue these difficulties are rooted in the lack of an individually owned and collectively endorsed identity, an identity of an evidence-based leader developer (EBLD). A closer inspection of our data confirmed that the lack of a clear and salient EBLD identity makes it difficult for academics to walk their evidence-based leader development talk. We discuss how these findings can help facilitate more evidence-based leader development in an academic context.
Abstract.
DOI.
Karelaia N, Guillén L, Leroy H (2022). When being oneself is socially rewarded: Social identification qualifies the effect of authentic behavior at work.
Human Relations,
75(11), 2058-2090.
Abstract:
When being oneself is socially rewarded: Social identification qualifies the effect of authentic behavior at work
Is “be yourself” always the best advice? We suggest that interpersonal consequences of behaving authentically depend on the extent to which individuals identify with the social environment where they behave authentically. Bridging the research on authenticity, social identity, and conflict, we propose that for high identifiers, authentic behavior reveals how similar they are to others, thereby reducing dyadic relationship conflict. When social identification is low, behaving authentically increases the salience of how different the individual is from others, increasing relationship conflict. In a multi-source time-lag sample of professional work teams (Study 1), we found that authentic behavior indeed reduced relationship conflict and enhanced task performance for high identifiers, but had an inverse, detrimental effect for low identifiers. In a sample of student teams (Study 2), we only found an attenuating effect of authentic behavior on relationship conflict for high identifiers, and no effect for low identifiers. These results suggest that the advice “to be yourself” applies in educational contexts involving younger adults, but has to be prescribed with care in professional work contexts. Our findings emphasize the importance of social context for the consequences of authentic behavior, and call for more research on the contextual effects of authenticity.
Abstract.
DOI.
2021
Veestraeten M, Johnson SK, Leroy H, Sy T, Sels L (2021). Exploring the Bounds of Pygmalion Effects: Congruence of Implicit Followership Theories Drives and Binds Leader Performance Expectations and Follower Work Engagement.
Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies,
28(2), 137-153.
Abstract:
Exploring the Bounds of Pygmalion Effects: Congruence of Implicit Followership Theories Drives and Binds Leader Performance Expectations and Follower Work Engagement
The topic of work engagement is moving up on the managerial agenda as it sets the stage for numerous beneficial outcomes for both organizations and their employees. It is clear, however, that not all employees are equally engaged in their job. The current study taps into theory on positive self-fulfilling prophecies induced by leaders’ high expectations of followers (i.e. the Pygmalion effect) and examines their potential to facilitate follower work engagement. By integrating literature on implicit followership theories with the Pygmalion model, we investigate the assumption that leaders’ high expectations are universally perceived as and therefore foster the same desirable results for all employees. We argue and find that the extent to which followers’ work engagement benefits from high leader expectations depends on their implicit followership theory of industry (IFTI; i.e. the general belief that employees are hardworking, productive, and willing to go above and beyond). We also find that when followers hold a high IFTI but feel that their leader does not convey high expectations, their engagement at work suffers. In addition, we examine whether leaders’ IFTI forms the origin of naturally occurring Pygmalion effects. Our results show that a positive IFTI among leaders is especially interpreted as high/positive expectations by followers who also hold a high/positive IFTI. Our study introduces boundary conditions to the Pygmalion-at-work model by revealing the interactive role of leaders’ and followers’ implicit followership theory of industry. We contribute to the advancement of cognitive, follower-centric perspectives on leadership and provide evidence for the importance of schema congruence.
Abstract.
DOI.
Leroy H, Hoever IJ, Vangronsvelt K, Van den Broeck A (2021). How team averages in authentic living and perspective-taking personalities relate to team information elaboration and team performance.
J Appl Psychol,
106(3), 364-376.
Abstract:
How team averages in authentic living and perspective-taking personalities relate to team information elaboration and team performance.
Is it wise to be authentic, that is, to express your inner thoughts and feelings, in a team context? Although authenticity can be argued to benefit teamwork as authentic team members contribute their unique perspectives, it can also hinder teamwork if those unique perspectives are not heard and integrated. Using theory on groups as information processors, we propose that when team members both contribute their own unique perspectives (team mean authentic living), and try to understand each other's contributions (team mean perspective taking), a process of information elaboration occurs at the team level, which in turn leads to team performance. Study 1 tested these assumptions in 67 teams of students (N = 247), whereas Study 2 used 37 teams of employees (N = 194). Results support the hypothesized interaction between team mean authentic living and team mean perspective taking on team information elaboration such that the effects were positive when perspective taking was high but negative when it was low. In terms of team performance, although team information elaboration consistently predicted team performance in both studies, Study 1 could not confirm the hypothesized indirect effects, whereas Study 2 confirmed only the hypothesized positive indirect effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Abstract.
Author URL.
DOI.
2019
Cha SE, Hewlin PF, Roberts LM, Buckman BR, Leroy H, Steckler EL, Ostermeier K, Cooper D (2019). Being Your True Self at Work: Integrating the Fragmented Research on Authenticity in Organizations.
Academy of Management Annals,
13(2), 633-671.
DOI.
Lemoine GJ, Hartnell CA, Leroy H (2019). Taking Stock of Moral Approaches to Leadership: an Integrative Review of Ethical, Authentic, and Servant Leadership.
Academy of Management Annals,
13(1), 148-187.
DOI.
2016
Cullen‐Lester KL, Leroy H, Gerbasi A, Nishii L (2016). Energy's role in the extraversion (dis)advantage: How energy ties and task conflict help clarify the relationship between extraversion and proactive performance.
Journal of Organizational Behavior,
37(7), 1003-1022.
Abstract:
Energy's role in the extraversion (dis)advantage: How energy ties and task conflict help clarify the relationship between extraversion and proactive performance
SummaryWhile academic and practitioner literatures have proposed that extraverts are at an advantage in team‐based work, it remains unclear exactly what that advantage might be, how extraverts attain such an advantage, and under which conditions. Theory highlighting the importance of energy in the coordination of team efforts helps to answer these questions. We propose that extraverted individuals are able to develop more energizing relationships with their teammates and as a result are seen as proactively contributing to their team. However, problems in coordination (i.e. team task conflict) can reverse this extraversion advantage. We studied 27 project‐based teams at their formation, peak performance, and after disbandment. Results suggest that when team task conflict is low, extraverts energize their teammates and are viewed by others as proactively contributing to the team. However, when team task conflict is high, extraverts develop energizing relationships with fewer of their teammates and are not viewed as proactively contributing to the team. Our findings regarding energizing relationships and team task conflict clarify why extraversion is related to proactive performance and in what way, how, and when extraverts may be at a (dis)advantage in team‐based work. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract.
DOI.
2012
Leroy H, Anseel F, Gardner WL, Sels L (2012). Authentic Leadership, Authentic Followership, Basic Need Satisfaction, and Work Role Performance.
Journal of Management,
41(6), 1677-1697.
Abstract:
Authentic Leadership, Authentic Followership, Basic Need Satisfaction, and Work Role Performance
Authentic leadership occurs when individuals enact their true selves in their role as a leader. This article examines the role of authentic followership in the previously established relationship between authentic leadership and follower in-role and extrarole performance behaviors. Consideration of followers who enact their true selves is important to understand how authentic leadership fosters follower self-determined work motivation and thus work role performance. Using self-determination theory (SDT) as a guiding framework, the authors propose that authentic leadership, authentic followership, and their interplay are positively related to the satisfaction of followers’ basic needs, which, in turn, are positively related to follower work role performance. The authors conducted a survey study of 30 leaders and 252 followers in 25 Belgian service companies. The results provide evidence of positive relationship for both authentic leadership and authentic followership with follower basic need satisfaction in a cross-level model where authentic leadership was aggregated to the group level of analysis. Cross-level interaction results indicated that authentic leadership strengthened the relationship between authentic followership and follower basic need satisfaction. Follower basic need satisfaction was shown to mediate the relationship of authentic leadership and authentic followership with follower work role performance. A test of mediated moderation further demonstrated that basic need satisfaction mediates the interaction of authentic leadership and authentic followership on follower work role performance. The implications for leadership research and practice are explored.
Abstract.
DOI.
