Charismatic Leadership Communication in CSA Initiatives: Examining Its Impacts on Employee Engagement and Cross-Cutting Discussion

Abstract

This study examines the impact of charismatic leadership communication in corporate social advocacy (CSA) campaigns on employees’ organizational engagement and cross-cutting discussion behaviors through the mediation of employees’ psychological need satisfaction. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the conceptual model is tested through an online survey among 716 full-time employees who work in various industries in the U.S. Findings of the study contribute to the CSA and leadership communication literature by unveiling the effectiveness of a particular leadership communication approach, charismatic leadership communication, on creating positive employee outcomes at the organizational and societal level (i.e., organizational engagement and cross-cutting discussion regarding sociopolitical issues). Additionally, our study adds to the CSA literature by identifying employees’ psychological need satisfaction as a mediator driving the aforesaid positive impacts of charismatic leadership communication. It highlights the importance of fulfilling employees’ psychological needs when addressing sociopolitical issues in order to unleash the power of charismatic leadership communication in promoting employees’ engagement with the organization and participation in issue-related conversation.