Integration Of Leader’s Other-Focused Humor Styles: Cultivation of Subordinates’ Extra-Role Behavior

Abstract

This study explored the effective use of both humor styles (negative and positive) to interact by measuring
the extra-role behavior of followers. First and foremost, this study focus to improve the understanding of
humor as a multifaceted entity with both positive and negative features. Drawing on the theory of leadermember exchange (LMX), this study integrates the leader’s humor styles, which focus on others (affiliative
and aggressive), and examines the impact on employees' extra-role behavior through the mediation of
LMX. Analysis of data from 384 employees of the hotel industry came out with the result that integration
of humor styles that focus on others (affiliative and aggressive) had a significant and indirect influence on
employees' change-oriented OCB through LMX. PLS-SEM was used for analysis by using Smart PLS Version
3.3.3. This study, therefore, recommends that change-oriented OCB of subordinates is likely to be
achieved when there is an effective use of humor by leadership through quality relationships using power
distance orientation. The findings are novel to highlight the role of humor in leadership in the hotel industry
of Pakistan.