The Buffering Effect of Mindfulness on Abusive Supervision and Creative Performance: A Social Cognitive Framework

Abstract

Our research draws upon social cognitive theory and incorporates a regulatory approach to investigate why and when abusive supervision influences employee creative performance. The analyses of data from multiple time points and multiple sources reveal that abusive supervision hampers employee self-efficacy at work, which in turn impairs employee creative performance. Further, employee mindfulness buffers the negative effects of abusive supervision on employee self-efficacy at work as well as the indirect effects of abusive supervision on employee creative performance. Our findings have implications for both theory and practice. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Be Aware Not Reactive: Testing a Mediated-Moderation Model of Dark Triad and Perceived Victimization via Self-Regulatory Approach

“…The results were consistent with previous studies which revealed a dampening effect of employee mindfulness on abusive supervision, demonstrating that employee mindfulness significantly moderates the relationship between abusive supervision and perceived victimization by neutralizing the effect of the former on workforce outcomes. Our results also supported the findings that when employees have a high degree of mindfulness, they detach themselves from unfavorable work conditions, unlike the employees with a low degree of mindfulness (Zheng and Liu, 2017).…”

“…The sample items included: "I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until sometime later" and "I break or spill things because of carelessness, not paying attention, or thinking of something else." Previous studies have reported the reliability of this measure to be adequate at 0.80 (Fredrickson et al, 2008;Zheng and Liu, 2017). The Cronbach's coefficient for the present study was found to be 0.93.…”

“…Similarly, previous studies have validated the reliability of the scales used to assess the perceived victimization scale (Parker, 2019;Tarraf et al, 2019). Moreover, extensive studies have reported the reliability of the use of the employee's mindfulness construct (Baron, 2016;Zheng and Liu, 2017;Anasori et al, 2019). The scales adopted for the current study were used in multidisciplinary studies that focused on behavioral perspectives.…”

“…Researchers found that mindfulness decreases the impact of decisions involving discrimination (Long and Christian, 2015). Many studies have focused on the significance of mindfulness in employees that helps them improve their ability to meet challenges in the competitive world (Hülsheger et al, 2014;Zheng and Liu, 2017). Literature review indicates that mindfulness helps one cope with psychological stressors that cause depression and other emotional impairments (Ndubisi, 2012;Lundwall et al, 2019).…”

Leader Mindfulness: Well-Being Throughout the Organization

“…abusive tendencies of supervisors) and can enhance positive effects of positive leadership. Research shows, for example, that poor leadership (abusive leadership) among employees who score high on mindfulness does not have such a negative effect on creativity (Sarwar et al 2016;Zheng and Liu 2017). In this situation, mindfulness is especially helpful to counter the effects of poor leadership on emotional exhaustion (Sarwar et al 2016) and reduced self-efficacy of employees (Zheng and Liu 2017).…”