The Effect of Leader's Aggressive Humor on Employees' Intelligent Silence with the Mediating Role of Organizational Mistrust

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Public Administration, Faculty Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 PhD student, Human Resources Management, Faculty Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.

Abstract

Context and Purpose: The present study aims to examine the effect of leaders’ aggressive humor on employees’ strategic silence, with organizational distrust considered as a mediating variable.
Methodology: This research adopts a descriptive–correlational design. The statistical population consists of employees from several public organizations in Ilam city, including the Governor’s Office, the Water and Wastewater Company, and the General Directorate of Tax Affairs, totaling 1,537 employees. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample of 284 participants was selected through stratified sampling. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: the Aggressive Humor of Leadership Questionnaire (He et al., 2024), the Employee Strategic Silence Questionnaire (Van Dyne et al., 2003), and the Organizational Distrust Questionnaire (Adams et al., 2016). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and SmartPLS software were employed for data analysis.
Findings: The results indicate that leaders’ aggressive humor has a positive and significant effect on both employees’ strategic silence and organizational distrust. Moreover, organizational distrust significantly increases strategic silence and plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between leaders’ aggressive humor and employees’ strategic silence.
Conclusion: Leaders’ aggressive humor can function as a hidden trigger that, by undermining trust, drives employees toward deliberate and strategic silence. By focusing on strategic silence and organizational distrust, this study provides a novel understanding of the negative consequences of humorous leadership styles within the context of public organizations in Iran.

Keywords

References

منابع
اشتیاقی، محسن، فیاضی، مرجان، نرگسیان، عباس، فولادی، علیرضا . (1402). ارائه مدل رهبری شوخ‌طبعانه در سازمان‌های تولیدی (مورد مطالعه: صنعت تولید برق حرارتی ایران نیروگاه‌های وابسته به وزارت نیرو). مطالعات رفتار سازمانی، 12(1)، 131-164. https://obs.sinaweb.net/article_705142.html.
 
Reference
Aburumman, O., Salleh, N. M., Omar, R., & Abualoush, S. (2021). The mediating effect of interpersonal distrust on the relationship between perceived organizational politics and workplace ostracism in higher education institutions. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 685. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685.
Brinsfield, C. T. (2013). Employee silence motives: Investigation of dimensionality and development of measures. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(5), 671–697. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1829.
Camblor, M., & Alcover, C. (2019). Integrating distrust antecedents and consequences in organizational life. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 35(1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2019a3.
Chen, Y., Wang, Y., & Bao, Y. (2022). Why does leader aggressive humor lead to bystander workplace withdrawal behavior? Based on the dual path perspective of cognition-affection. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 925029. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.925029.
Cheng, B. H., Wang, M., & Lu, C. Q. (2019). Leader humor and employee voice: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(2), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2322.
De Clercq, D., Haq, I. U., & Azeem, M. U. (2021). Workplace incivility and employee silence: The roles of emotional exhaustion and organizational embeddedness. Journal of Management & Organization, 27(6), 1215–1233. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2019.51
Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611–628. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.611.
Eshtiaghi, M., Fayazi, M., Nargesian, A., Fouladi, A. (2023). Presenting a humorous leadership model in production organizations (Case study: Iran's thermal power generation industry, power plants affiliated with the Ministry of Energy). Organizational Behavior Studies, 12(1), 131-164. https://obs.sinaweb.net/article_705142.html. [In Persian]
Fang, Y., Chen, Y., & Liu, J. (2019). The impact of abusive supervision on employees’ voice behavior: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(2), 507–521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3826-0.
Gao, L., Janssen, O., & Shi, K. (2019). Empowered to break the silence: Applying self-determination theory to employee silence. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 485. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00485.
Gao, L., Janssen, O., & Shi, K. (2019). Empowered to break the silence: Applying self-determination theory to employee silence. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 485. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00485.
Greenberg, J., & Folger, R. (1983). Procedural justice, participation, and the fair process effect in groups and organizations. In P. B. Paulus (Ed.), Basic group processes (pp. 235–256). Springer.
Hobfoll, S. E., Halbesleben, J., Neveu, J.‑P., & Westman, M. (2018). Conservation of resources in the organizational context: The reality of resources and their consequences. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 5, 103–128. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032117-104640
He, Y., Wei, H., & Fu, X. (2024). The double-edged sword of aggressive humor: A moderated mediation model linking leader humor and employee behavior. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05646-w.
Huang, X., Van de Vliert, E., & Wang, J. (2021). The dark side of leader humor: When and why it provokes abusive supervision and workplace deviance. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(1), 101370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2020.101370.
Javed, B., Naqvi, S. M. M. R., Khan, A. K., Arjoon, S., & Tayyeb, H. H. (2019). Impact of inclusive leadership on innovative work behavior: The role of psychological safety. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1177. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01177.
Khan, S. M., Mahmud, N., & Fayyaz, M. (2024). Psychological capital and organizational commitment: A review of 2024 empirical evidence. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(10), 1–? http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15‑i10/26730.
Knoll, M., & van Dick, R. (2019). Do I hear the whistle…? A first attempt to measure four forms of employee silence and their correlates. Journal of Business Ethics, 167(1), 139–161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04197-7.
Kong, D. T., Kim, S., & Kim, M. (2022). The dark side of humor: How aggressive humor influences employee trust and silence. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 43(5), 785–800. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2629
Kong, D. T., Wang, Y., & Zhao, X. (2022). Leader aggressive humor and employees’ work outcomes: The roles of psychological contract breach and trust in supervisor. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 804050. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.804050.
Lewicki, R. J., McAllister, D. J., & Bies, R. J. (1998). Trust and distrust: New relationships and realities. Academy of Management Review, 23(3), 438–458. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1998.926620.
Lu, A. C. C., Guchait, P., & Wang, C. Y. (2025). Leader aggressive humor and employee time theft: The mediating role of emotional exhaustion. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 120, 103622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103622.
Ma, J., Wang, M., & Wang, Z. (2022). When the leader jokes aggressively: The impact of leader aggressive humor on employee silence via interpersonal distrust. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 168, 104131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2022.104131.
Martin, R. A., Puhlik-Doris, P., Larsen, G., Gray, J., & Weir, K. (2003). Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the Humor Styles Questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 37(1), 48–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-6566(02)00534-2.
Morrison, E. W. (2011). Employee voice behavior: Integration and directions for future research. Academy of Management Annals, 5(1), 373–412. https://doi.org/10.5465/19416520.2011.574506.
Morrison, E. W., & Milliken, F. J. (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 706–725. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2000.3707697.
Nekovee, M., & Pinto, J. (2017). Modelling the impact of organization structure and whistle blowers on intra-organizational corruption contagion. arXiv preprint arXiv:1712.00095. https://arxiv.org/abs/1712.00095
Noelle-Neumann, E. (1984). The spiral of silence: Public opinion—Our social skin. University of Chicago Press.
Peterson, R., Hu, X., Parke, M., & Simon, G. (2024). Constantly pretending your boss's dumb jokes are funny can lead to emotional exhaustion and lower job satisfaction. Academy of Management Journal. https://www.businessinsider.com/laughing-at-your-boss-dumb-jokes-can-lower-job-satisfaction-study-2024-3.
 Potipiroon, W., & Ford, M. T. (2021). Does leader humor influence employee voice? The mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating role of team humor. Group & Organization Management, 46(4), 622–656. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601121994370
Pundt, A., & Herrmann, F. (2022). Impact of leader aggressive humor on employee extra-role behaviors: Opposite moderating effects of team identification and professional identification. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(4), 309–323. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2022-0203
Pundt, A., & Herrmann, F. (2022). Leading with (bad) humor: How leader aggressive humor affects employee outcomes. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(4), 309–323. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2022-0203.
Qi, L., Liu, B., Wei, X., & Hu, Y. (2019). Impact of inclusive leadership on employees’ innovative behavior: Perceived organizational support as a mediator. PLoS ONE, 14(2), e0212091. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212091.
Restubog, S. L. D., Hornsey, M. J., Bordia, P., & Esposo, S. R. (2008). Effects of psychological contract breach on organizational citizenship behavior: Insights from the group value model. Journal of Management Studies, 45(8), 1377–1400. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2008.00792.x.
Shah, S. S. H., Javed, B., & Bashir, S. (2020). Leader aggressive humor and employee voice behavior: A moderated mediation model. Review of Managerial Science, 14(4), 905–928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-019-00334-7.
Tang, Y., Xu, H., & Li, W. (2023). Leader aggressive humor and unethical behavior: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Business Ethics, 189(3), 757–775. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05310-y.
Tangirala, S., & Ramanujam, R. (2008). Employee silence on critical work issues: The cross-level effects of procedural justice climate. Personnel Psychology, 61(1), 37–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2008.00105.x.
Van de Walle, S., & Six, F. (2014). Trust and distrust as distinct concepts: Why studying distrust in institutions is important. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 16(2), 158–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876988.2013.785146
Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Botero, I. C. (2003). Conceptualizing employee silence and employee voice as multidimensional constructs. Journal of Management Studies, 40(6), 1359–1392. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00384.
Wang, Y., & Zhu, Y. (2022). Strategic employee silence: A review and future research directions. Management and Organization Review, 18(3), 631–661. https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2022.21.
Wei, H., Shan, D., Wang, L., & Zhu, S. (2022). Research on the mechanism of leader aggressive humor on employee silence: a conditional process model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 135, 103717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2022.103717.
Wu, L. Z., Tsui, A. S., & Kinicki, A. (2022). Leader aggressive humor and employees’ discretionary behavior: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(4), 300–315. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2022-0203
Yasin, H., & Jesevičiūtė-Ufartienė, L. (2023). Employee silence and employee voice as distinct constructs: A systematic literature review. Business and Management, 13, 1040. https://doi.org/10.3846/bm.2023.1040
Zhang, Y., Liu, X., Wang, L., & Guo, Y. (2020). The double-edged sword effect of leader humor on employee creativity: The roles of creative self-efficacy and traditionality. Journal of Business and Psychology, 35(3), 329–343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-019-09638-9
Zhang, Y., Wu, C. H., & Liu, Y. (2022). The dark side of leader humor: A social exchange perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 925029. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.925029.
Zhao, H., Xia, Q., He, P., Sheard, G., & Wan, P. (2022). When and why leader humor relates to employee silence: The mediating role of psychological safety. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 9531020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.9531020
Journal of Comparative Public Administration
Volume 4, Issue 2
September 2026
Pages 255-273

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 18 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 February 2026
  • Accept Date: 26 February 2026

Share

How to cite

Statistics