Mitigating interpersonal deviance through authentic leadership: do social identification and trust matter?

Purpose This study investigates how authentic leadership influences followers’ workplace deviance, with a focus on the roles of social identification and trust in coworkers in mediating and moderating this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses were tested using regression analysis and the PROCESS macro on survey data from 242 participants across various Korean business organizations. Findings The research indicates that social identification mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and interpersonal deviance, while coworkers’ trust plays a robust moderating role. This finding offers a more detailed perspective on the complex organizational dynamics involved. Practical implications The research advocates for strategies focusing on developing authentic leadership and fostering a trustworthy team environment to mitigate workplace deviance. Originality/value This study introduces interpersonal deviance in authentic leadership research, offering new insights into leadership styles and their effects on follower behaviors in organizational settings.