TY - JOUR
T1 - Are relationally transparent leaders more receptive to the relational transparency of others?
T2 - An authentic dialog perspective
AU - Rego, Arménio
AU - Cunha, Miguel Pina e
AU - Giustiniano, Luca
N1 - Funding agencies#
The European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program#
grant agreement No. 856688#
FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia#
UID/GES/00731/2019#
UID/GES/00315/2019#
UID/ECO/00124/2019#
UID/00124/2020#
and Social Sciences DataLab#
PINFRA/22209/2016#
POR Lisboa and POR Norte#
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Using a sample of 114 leaders (described by 516 team members), we show empirically that the association between leader relational transparency and leader receptiveness to relational transparency of team members is indirect (through leader respect) and conditional on leader humility. When a transparent leader expresses humility, he/she conveys respect to team members and is perceived as more receptive to the relational transparency of employees toward him/her. The indirect association between leader relational transparency and leader receptiveness to the relational transparency of team members is negative, however, when the leader is perceived as non-humble. Our paper contributes to discussion about the limits of relational transparency as an indicator of authentic leadership. We suggest that what is often described as relational transparency is no more than unidirectional transparency—from leaders to followers. We conclude that transparency (and authenticity) in leaders is relational only when it is bidirectional.
AB - Using a sample of 114 leaders (described by 516 team members), we show empirically that the association between leader relational transparency and leader receptiveness to relational transparency of team members is indirect (through leader respect) and conditional on leader humility. When a transparent leader expresses humility, he/she conveys respect to team members and is perceived as more receptive to the relational transparency of employees toward him/her. The indirect association between leader relational transparency and leader receptiveness to the relational transparency of team members is negative, however, when the leader is perceived as non-humble. Our paper contributes to discussion about the limits of relational transparency as an indicator of authentic leadership. We suggest that what is often described as relational transparency is no more than unidirectional transparency—from leaders to followers. We conclude that transparency (and authenticity) in leaders is relational only when it is bidirectional.
KW - Authentic leadership
KW - Humility
KW - Leader receptiveness
KW - Leader relational transparency
KW - Respect
KW - Team working
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103221626&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10551-021-04792-6
DO - 10.1007/s10551-021-04792-6
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103221626
SN - 0167-4544
VL - 180
SP - 695
EP - 709
JO - Journal of Business Ethics
JF - Journal of Business Ethics
ER -