Leader prohibitive voice behavior and its effects on followers through leader identification and political skill

In today's competitive business environment, organizations need to identify and address potential risks and opportunities effectively. Employee voice, the expression of opinions and concerns, plays a crucial role in this process. This study focuses on prohibitive voice behavior, which involves identifying and addressing harmful factors within the organization. Unlike promotive voice (suggesting improvements), prohibitive voice often carries higher risks due to its potential for negative social consequences and interpersonal conflicts, particularly within hierarchical and collectivist cultures like China, where maintaining harmony is highly valued. While prohibitive voice is essential for organizational effectiveness, employees are often reluctant to engage in it. Previous research has examined the influence of leadership styles on employee voice, but there's a gap in understanding how specific leader behaviors, particularly the leader's own engagement in prohibitive voice, influence followers' behavior. This study addresses this gap by examining the direct and indirect effects of leader prohibitive voice behavior on follower prohibitive voice behavior, focusing on social learning theory as a framework.

Voice behavior is categorized into promotive (suggesting improvements) and prohibitive (identifying and addressing problems). While both aim for positive change, they differ significantly in their antecedents and consequences. Prohibitive voice, due to its challenging nature and potential for negative repercussions, is often less frequent than promotive voice. Previous research has identified individual characteristics (e.g., personality traits), contextual factors (e.g., organizational climate), and psychological factors (e.g., perceived justice) as influencing employee voice. Leadership plays a significant role, with studies focusing on the effects of transformational, ethical, and inclusive leadership styles on employee voice. However, the direct influence of a leader's own engagement in prohibitive voice behavior on followers remains under-researched. This study utilizes social learning theory (SLT) to understand this influence, positing that followers learn by observing and imitating their leaders' behaviors, particularly when they identify with the leader. Political skill, which is the ability to effectively navigate social situations, is considered as a potential moderator of this relationship.

This quantitative study used a survey to collect data from 317 leader-follower dyads in 59 Chinese companies across various industries. To mitigate common method bias, separate questionnaires were administered to leaders and followers. The questionnaires measured leader prohibitive voice behavior, follower prohibitive voice behavior, leader identification, and follower political skill, all using established scales. A 5-point Likert scale was used for ratings. The questionnaires were translated into Chinese following back-translation procedures to ensure accuracy. Control variables included gender, age, education level, tenure with the leader, and leader promotive voice behavior. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the validity of the measurement model. Hierarchical regression analysis and the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2013) were used to test the hypotheses regarding the direct effect of leader prohibitive voice behavior on follower prohibitive voice behavior, the mediating role of leader identification, and the moderating role of follower political skill. Mean-centering was applied to address multicollinearity.

The results partially supported the hypotheses. Hypothesis 1, proposing a positive relationship between leader prohibitive voice behavior and follower prohibitive voice behavior, was supported (β = 0.25, p < 0.001). Hypothesis 2, suggesting that leader identification mediates this relationship, was also supported. The indirect effect of leader prohibitive voice behavior on follower prohibitive voice behavior through leader identification was statistically significant (effect estimate 0.11, 95% CI = 0.023 and 0.209). However, Hypothesis 3, predicting a positive moderating effect of follower political skill on the mediated relationship, was not supported. Instead, a negative moderating effect was found (β = -0.15, p < 0.001). Simple slope analysis showed a stronger positive relationship between leader prohibitive voice behavior and follower prohibitive voice behavior at lower levels of follower political skill (slope = 0.427, p < 0.001) compared to higher levels (slope = -0.213, ns). The analysis of conditional indirect effects revealed a significant positive indirect effect when follower political skill was low (b = 0.34, p < 0.001) but an insignificant effect when follower political skill was high (b = -0.16, ns).

The findings contribute to the understanding of prohibitive voice behavior and its relationship to leadership. The positive effect of leader prohibitive voice behavior on follower behavior confirms the importance of leadership modeling in shaping employee behavior. The mediating role of leader identification highlights the importance of building trust and positive relationships between leaders and followers. The unexpected negative moderating effect of follower political skill suggests that individuals with higher political skill may rely less on their leader as a model for engaging in risky behaviors such as prohibitive voice, potentially because they are more confident in their own ability to navigate organizational politics. The results are particularly relevant in the Chinese context, where collectivism and hierarchical structures might influence the dynamics of voice behavior. The strong influence of leader identification even in the face of lower follower political skills suggests the profound impact of leadership modeling in cultures prioritizing harmony and deference to authority.

This study demonstrates the significant role of leader prohibitive voice behavior in fostering follower prohibitive voice behavior, mediated by leader identification, but moderated negatively by follower political skill. Leaders should model proactive voice behavior to encourage a culture of open communication and risk-taking. Future research should explore longitudinal relationships, investigate the role of other mediating and moderating variables, and examine the generalizability of these findings across different cultural contexts. Further research could also explore the interaction between promotive and prohibitive voice behavior.

The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences. The study's focus on Chinese companies might limit the generalizability of the findings to other cultural settings. Future research should utilize longitudinal studies to better understand the causal relationships and replicate the study in diverse cultural contexts. Additionally, the study could benefit from exploring other potential mediating variables and considering the interplay between promotive and prohibitive voice.