When leaders’ egos rule: unmasking the impact of narcissism on emotional suppression in academicians – a moderated-mediation analysis

Purpose This study employs the conservation of resources (COR) theory to underscore the significance of resilience as a prospective resource in managing the suppression of emotions caused by narcissistic leadership through the violation of psychological contracts. Design/methodology/approach In order to attain our research goal, a moderated-mediated model was implemented using PLS-SEM, based on information obtained from a sample of 342 participants. This investigation gathered data from employees employed in private universities located in the northern region of India. Findings According to the results, narcissistic leaders are more likely to violate employees’ psychological contracts, which can lead to emotional suppression of employees at the workplace. Nonetheless, a higher level of resilience functions as a buffer against the adverse effects of leadership characterized by narcissistic traits. Originality/value Through the integration of resilience and psychological contract breach as important mediators and moderators, it offers new perspectives on the complex interactions between emotional suppression and narcissistic leadership in academic contexts.