| Abstract: |
Why do followers’ reactions to perceived paradoxical leader behavior (PLB)
differ? To answer this question, we draw from self-regulation theory and argue
that making sense of a paradoxical leader’s seemingly contradictory behavior
can pose a challenge for followers and requires specific cognitive traits and
abilities that enable them to navigate such complex and dynamic environments.
We propose that followers who lack these cognitive traits and related
abilities find it more difficult to make sense of and navigate their
paradoxical leader’s behavior, thereby perceiving them as behaviorally
unpredictable. This, in turn, impairs followers’ self-regulation when working
with such leaders, and leads to lower well-being. Conversely, followers
endowed with appropriate cognitive traits can make sense of PLB and thrive in
these environments. To test our propositions, we conducted two multi-wave
field studies. In Study 1, we examine the role of followers’ trait cognitive
flexibility in interpreting PLB; whereas Study 2 explores the role of
followers’ trait self-regulation. The findings from these studies support our
hypotheses, with an important implication: the efficacy of PLB may not only
solely depend on a leader’s ability to enact these behaviors but also on their
followers’ ability to interpret and make sense of them. |