Authentic leadership and employee psychological safety: the mediating role of leader-member exchange and the moderating effect of cultural collectivism

This study examines the relationship between authentic leadership and employee psychological safety through the mediating mechanism of leader-member exchange (LMX) quality, while considering cultural collectivism as a moderating factor. Based on social exchange theory and cross-cultural leadership literature, we developed and tested a theoretical model using structural equation modeling with data collected from multiple organizations across different cultural contexts. Results demonstrate that authentic leadership significantly enhances employee psychological safety both directly and indirectly through high-quality LMX relationships. However, cultural collectivism moderates these relationships, with the positive effects of authentic leadership and LMX on psychological safety being attenuated in highly collectivistic contexts. The findings contribute to authentic leadership theory by identifying LMX as a key explanatory mechanism and establishing cultural boundaries for leadership effectiveness. Practical implications suggest that organizations should develop authentic leadership capabilities while considering cultural adaptation strategies, particularly in collectivistic environments where traditional authentic leadership approaches may require modification to maintain effectiveness.