The effects of paradoxical leader behavior and different forms of proactive behavior on the role-based performance: The mediating role of perceived motivational climate

Competitive conditions and the complexity of the age have caused leaders to encounter some contradictory situations and tensions. In these complex environments, leaders are burdened with great responsibilities with issues such as how to manage contradictions and tensions and how to encourage employees to act proactively. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of paradoxical leader behavior and different proactive behaviors on role-based performance and to determine how this effect is mediated by the perceived motivational climate. The sample of the study consists of enterprise employees operating in the manufacturing industry of Kayseri (n=693). Data, the paradoxical leadership scale designed by Zhang et al. (2015), the proactive behavior scale designed by Wu et al. (2018), the perceived motivation climate scale designed by Nerstad, etc. (2013) and designed by Welbourne et al. (1998) was obtained through a survey of the role-based performance scale. After the measurement model was created with confirmatory factor analysis to test the models and hypotheses of the research, structural equation modeling was performed. According to the research findings, it determined that paradoxical leadership had a negative and significant effect on role-based performance. Nevertheless, it determined that only initiative and autonomy as a proactive behaviors positively and significantly affected role-based performance. In addition, it revealed that the perceived motivational climate had a positive and significant effect on role-based performance. On the other hand, it determined that perceived motivational climate had a mediating effect on the relationship between paradoxical leadership and role-based performance. However, it observed that the perceived motivational climate only had a mediating effect on the relationship between initiative and autonomy as a proactive behaviors and role-based performance. In addition, it was determined that both paradoxical leadership and initiative and autonomy which is one of the dimensions of proactive behavior, negatively and significantly affect the perceived motivational climate. Finally, some implications were made regarding the study and it was stated that there were limitations of the study, some suggestions for manufacturing industry workers and future research were made.