How can a leader's humility enhance civility climate and employee voice in a competitive environment?

PurposeThis study aimed to examine the relationship between leader humility, civility climate and employee voice and uncover the moderating effect of competitive climate on the relationship between leader humility, civility climate and employee voice.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred seventy-nine respondents from various sectors in Indonesia participated in this study. All hypotheses were examined using hierarchical multiple regression analysis using the Hayes' macro PROCESS.FindingsLeader humility positively and significantly impacts civility climate and employee voice. Competitive climate was confirmed as a moderator in the relationship between leader humility and civility climate and employee voice. The effect of team humility and civility climate on employee voice was strongest in a highly competitive climate.Practical implicationsBy encouraging the adoption of leader humility, organizations can develop a civility climate and promote employee voice in the workplace. Leader humility is congruent with leadership practices in Asian countries, which are more strongly influenced by the virtues of certain religions. Leaders should demonstrate humble behaviors to generate a civility climate and employee voice. Authoritarian leadership and the high power distance inherent in Asian countries pose a challenge to the prioritization of humble behavior.Originality/valueThis study adds to the extant literature by revealing that leader humility fosters a civility climate and civility climate has positive consequences on employee voice; it is the first study to examine these relationships. Drawing on the social exchange theory, new insights explain the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship between leader humility, civility climate and employee voice while proposing a competitive climate as the boundary condition.