The Impact of Leader Gratitude Expressions on Followers’ Behaviours: Increasing Gratitude and Increases Proactivity

Abstract

Researchers have become increasingly interested in exploring leaders’ behaviours that promote followers’ proactive behaviours, but the literature is limited to leadership styles and generally does not consider leader displays of emotion. In this study, the impact of leader expressions of gratitude on followers’ proactive behaviours was examined from a self-evaluative perspective. Data from a field study (N = 184) and an experimental vignette study (N = 150) in China supported our hypotheses that leader gratitude expressions were positively related to followers’ proactive behaviours. Role breadth self-efficacy and perceived social worth mediated the relationship between leader gratitude expressions and followers’ proactive behaviours. This mediating effect was strengthened for followers with high relational identification. These results contribute to a nuanced understanding of gratitude by shedding light on the phenomenon of leader gratitude expressions and their positive outcomes. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.