Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

9-2023

Abstract

We introduce new leader humility scales capturing a theoretically rich conceptualization of leader-expressed humility aligned with traditional and ethically-grounded philosophies. These scales draw from recent inductive research (Oc et al., 2015) identifying nine dimensions of leader-expressed humility: (1) having an accurate view of self, (2) recognizing follower strengths and achievements, (3) modeling teachability and being correctable, (4) leading by example, (5) showing modesty, (6) working together for the collective good, (7) empathy and approachability, (8) showing mutual respect and fairness, and (9) mentoring and coaching. The first three dimensions overlap with the most prominent conceptualization of leader-expressed humility in the literature (i.e., Owens et al., 2013). However, the latter six dimensions are unique and represent an expanded understanding of the humble behaviors of leaders, which have implications for leaders and their ethical behavior in organizations. We conducted three studies resulting in two versions of the leader-expressed humility measure: 1) a 27-item scale with the nine dimensions (i.e., the "Leader-Expressed Humility" [LEH] scale) and 2) a 9-item brief scale (i.e., the "Brief LEH" scale) comprised of one item from each of the nine dimensions. As an initial step, we generated a pool of items that reflected each dimension. Next, we validated the LEH and Brief LEH scales in Study 1 and cross-validated the Brief LEH scale in Study 2 with two samples of subordinates in Singapore. As a final step, in Study 3, we cross-validated the Brief LEH scale with a sample of subordinates in the United States.

Keywords

Leader humility, Scale development, Leadership, Ethics

Discipline

Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics | Leadership Studies | Organization Development

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Journal of Business Ethics

Volume

192

Issue

1

First Page

129

Last Page

146

ISSN

0167-4544

Identifier

10.1007/s10551-023-05523-9

Publisher

Springer

Embargo Period

8-24-2024

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05523-9

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