Employee Perception of Leadership Tolerance of Deviance and the Moral Disengagement from Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Abstract

Organizational leaders set the example for "what is acceptable" ethical behavior and encourage organizational citizenship behavior among employees. Organizational citizenship behavior is the willingness to go above and beyond regular duties and responsibilities without using formal reward systems. However, employees who use social comparisons or repeatedly witness leaders who tolerate deviant behaviors are more likely to morally disengage from the positive attributes associated with organizational citizenship behavior. This research aims to determine ethical leadership attributes that resist the negative impact of perceived deviance tolerance on employee organizational citizenship behavior. The Leadership Ethic and Decision-making (LEAD) model is grounded in the foundational leadership theory which suggests that leaders should conduct an inward examination using integrity and assurance with an outward examination based on pragmatism to improve employee perception of ethical decision-making. The result of this study is based on responses from 378 full-time employees in the United States. The findings reveal that LEAD is a reliable, ethical leadership model and pragmatism is resistant to negative moderation of perceived tolerance of deviant behavior on employee contributions in the workplace. Therefore, leaders, managers, and HR professionals who apply the LEAD model will influence organizational citizenship behavior while reducing the deviant behaviors associated with the perceived tolerance of deviance.

Organizational Sustainability During Economic Downturn: The LEAD Model Approach to Reducing Citizenship Fatigue

“…The Leadership Ethics and Decision-Making (LEAD) model operationalizes FLT. Previous studies confirm that LEAD positively influences organizational identity (Fuller, 2022b) and decreases knowledge-hiding (Fuller, 2021). These previous findings suggest that if LEAD has a positive influence on the five dimensions that make up OCB, then citizenship fatigue is less likely to degrade that relationship.…”

“…The LEAD model describes integrity as the foundation of ethical leadership. LEAD-Integrity examines leadership decision-making to reduce biases, personal favors, and/or unsupported opinions that may lead to unethical decision-making behaviors and actions (Fuller, 2022b). Although employees may perceive leadership integrity as fair, sustainability actions (do more with less) may still produce unwanted stress and anxiety for employees.…”

“…The LEAD model's second step is assurance. Leaders can use LEAD-Assurance to discern how well a decision promotes job security in turn reducing anxiety and stress (Fuller, 2022b). Employees perceive LEAD-Assurance influences employee engagement which is a self-motivating behavior found within the five dimensions of OCB.…”

“…LEAD is a stepwise ethical decision-making model that includes integrity, assurance, and pragmatism. Leaders who follow the model reduce destructive and deception behaviors such as knowledge hiding (Fuller, 2021) and reduces deviant behavior in the workplace associated with DAT (Fuller, 2022b). Employees who displaced aggression will more likely use knowledge-hiding tactics based on three conditions.…”

Empathetic Leadership: Motivating Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Strengthen Leader-Member Exchange Relationships

“…The social exchange theory proposes that employees accept social exchange relationships as leadership. The fundamental premise of social exchange theory is that one size does not fit all (Fuller, 2022). Social exchange theory can advance our understanding of high-quality leader-subordinate social relationships that lead to self-initiated behaviors such as motivation.…”