How can leaders help? A mediated moderation influence of leader consideration and structure initiation on employee learning from work failures

Abstract

Purpose: Encountering work failures is not uncommon for employees. Employee learning from work failures is critical to knowledge management and employee development. This study aims to examine leaders’ role in facilitating employee learning from work failures. Design/methodology/approach: A two-wave survey featuring full-time employees in China was conducted to test the hypotheses. Linear regression analyses were adopted. Findings: Leader consideration and leader structure initiation are positively related to employee learning from work failures. Leader structure initiation strengthens the positive relationship between leader consideration and employee learning from work failures. Employee intrinsic motivation mediates the interactive effect of leader consideration and leader structure initiation on employee learning from work failures, such that leader structure initiation strengthens the positive relationship between leader consideration and employee learning from work failures through employee intrinsic motivation. Originality/value: Despite the importance of employee learning from work failures, little is known about leaders’ role in facilitating such behavior. Whereas leader consideration and structure initiation are distinct and sometimes even competing, this study suggests that they complement each other to exert positive influences on employee learning from work failures. In addition, this study identifies an underlying influence mechanism.