Based on social information processing theory, this research examines whether and how an employee's proactive personality influences intrinsic and extrinsic career growth. It also examines the mediating effects of two types of proactive behaviors (voice behavior and taking charge) and the moderating effect of a leader's proactive personality. A sample of 307 employee-leader dyads participated in this survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses, and the bootstrap procedure was used to test the indirect effects. Results show that an employee's proactive personality has significant positive effects on both intrinsic and extrinsic career growth. The mediating effect of taking charge was confirmed, while the mediating effect of voice behavior was not. Leader proactive personality weakens the relationship between employee proactive personality and the two types of proactive behaviors. Employee proactive personality is more positively related to intrinsic and extrinsic career growth via proactive behaviors when a leader's proactive personality is low. This study extends the literature on proactive personality, proactive behavior, and career development by examining the underlying determination, mediation, and moderation mechanisms.
Front Psychol. 2022 Sep 15;13:956387
[PMID:
36186302]
Front Psychol. 2021 Sep 09;12:699461
[PMID:
34566777]
Behav Sci (Basel). 2024 Jan 22;14(1):
[PMID:
38275361]
Curr Psychol. 2022 Dec 28;:1-12
[PMID:
36590012]
J Appl Psychol. 1998 Dec;83(6):835-52
[PMID:
9885197]
Adm Sci Q. 1978 Jun;23(2):224-53
[PMID:
10307892]
J Appl Psychol. 2023 Jan;108(1):53-71
[PMID:
35549285]
J Appl Psychol. 2022 Dec;107(12):2269-2284
[PMID:
35254850]