Leader Trait Self-control and Follower Trust in High-Reliability Contexts: The Mediating Role of Met Expectations in Firefighting

Abstract

Drawing from the theory of met expectations, this study aims to create new knowledge on the antecedents of follower trust in leaders in the context of high-reliability organizations. We hypothesize that highly self-controlled leaders instill more trust than leaders with less self-control, as the former tend to meet follower expectations. This work combines data from a field survey ( N = 256) and a multi-wave field study ( N = 106), using samples of professional firefighters to support our hypotheses that met follower expectations mediate the relationship between leader trait self-control and follower trust in the leader. Our research highlights the importance of met expectations in high-reliability contexts and demonstrates the value of leader trait self-control in building trustful relationships.

Self-control signals and affords power.

“…Additionally, self-control strengthens the link between leaders’ good moral character and ethical leadership behavior (Sosik et al, 2019). High self-control leaders are also more likely to meet the expectations their followers have about leaders (Rosing et al, 2022). Since our work demonstrates that people prefer to give power to those who exhibit self-control, further understanding of how leader self-control influences followers and team performance is especially important.…”

The Effects of Job Insecurity, Emotional Exhaustion, and Met Expectations on Hotel Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Test of a Serial Mediation Model

“…Evidence obtained from higher education in the United Arab Emirates highlighted that high levels of met expectations resulted in better job satisfaction and organizational commitment as well as an increase in organizational trust [56]. Rosing et al's [57] empirical investigation carried out among firefighters in Germany revealed that met follower expectations acted as a partial mediator between leader trait selfcontrol and follower trust in the leader. Recent research carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina revealed that employees' fulfillment of expectations about their job enhanced overall job satisfaction [58].…”