Ethical Leadership and Proactive Work Behavior: Role of Psychological Safety and Chinese Traditionality

Abstract

This study explored how ethical leadership affects employees’ proactive work behavior. We proposed psychological safety as a mediator and Chinese traditionality as a moderator in the effects of superiors’ ethical leadership on employees’ proactive work behavior. Using matched questionnaire data of 203 supervisor–subordinate dyads from 69 teams, we found the following: (1) ethical leadership is associated positively with (a) psychological safety and (b) proactive work behavior; (2) psychological safety mediates the positive impact of ethical leadership on proactive work behavior; and (3) for those subordinates with low Chinese traditionality, ethical leadership and proactive work behavior have a stronger relationship. The implications and limitations of these findings are also discussed.