Leading With Carrot and Stick: The Relationship Between Paternalistic Leadership and Teacher Emotional Labor

• In Event: Principal Leaderships' Role in Teacher Commitment, Engagement, and Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examines the effects of paternalistic leadership on teacher emotional labor strategies (i.e., surface acting and deep acting) and emotional exhaustion and explores the mediating role of leader-member exchange (LMX). A sample of 3117 primary and secondary school teachers from four regions in mainland China participated in this study. The results showed that two dimensions of paternalistic leadership (i.e., authoritarian and benevolent leadership) increased teachers’ surface acting directly. They also increased teachers’ deep acting directly. Besides, authoritarian leadership positively predicted teachers’ emotional exhaustion. Additionally, LMX fully mediated the effect of moral leadership and partially mediated the effect of benevolent leadership on teachers’ deep acting, respectively. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Authors

• Yingying Huang, Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Presenting Author

• Hongbiao Yin, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Non-Presenting Author