The Effect of Team Happy Nut: Leader Self-deprecating Humor and Team Performance

Abstract

Recently, several organizations have used humorous leaders to improve the effectiveness of team operations. Based on the leader-member exchange theory and social interaction theory, this study examines the relationship between leader self-deprecating humor and team performance and investigates the moderating effects of team harmony and team efficacy. The results using three-wave and 369 valid leader-employee dyads (113 team leaders and 369 employees) from 12 companies in Taiwan showed that: (1) leader self-deprecating humor positively affects trust in the leader; (2) trust in the leader positively affects team performance; (3) trust in the leader mediates the relationship between leader self-deprecating humor and team performance; (4) Team harmony moderates the relationship between leader self-deprecating humor and trust in the leader; and (5) Team efficacy moderates the relationship between trust in the leader and team performance. Implications for behavioral researchers and human resource managers are discussed.