Benevolent Leadership as an Antecedent and Moderator of Ostracism: A Moderated Mediation Model with Employee Performance

Abstract

Despite three decades of ostracism research, scholars have rarely examined its antecedents or benevolent leadership's role in workplace ostracism. Drawing on benevolent leadership theory, we propose that leader benevolence and employee neuroticism serve as predictors of perceived ostracism, with benevolent leadership also moderating the neuroticism-ostracism relationship. Using a three-wave sample of 172 matched superior-subordinate dyads from the United States, our findings reveal benevolent leadership's dual functions. After controlling for LMX and authentic leadership, benevolent leadership shows unique effects on ostracism and follower performance through its emphasis on care. We also advance research by introducing the Negative Perception-Behavior-Spiral framework to explain the neuroticism-ostracism association and establish ostracism as a mediating mechanism linking benevolent leadership to employee performance.