The detrimental effect of ambidextrous leadership on employee psychological uncertainty and job satisfaction

Purpose Ambidextrous leadership has been increasingly recognized for its adverse outcomes. This study aims to extend previous studies by investigating how ambidextrous leadership induces employee psychological uncertainty, which subsequently decreases job satisfaction, and exploring the mitigating effect of interactional justice on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected in three waves from 177 employees. The researchers employed regression analysis using Mplus 8.0 to evaluate the hypotheses proposed in this study. Findings We find that ambidextrous leadership is positively related to employees’ psychological uncertainty, which, in turn, is linked to decreased job satisfaction. These relationships are negatively moderated by employees’ perceptions of interactional justice. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by not only revealing the dark side of ambidextrous leadership but also by providing solutions for reducing the destructive effect of ambidextrous leadership on employees.