Illuminating relational energy, expressed humility and adaptive performance in employees

Purpose Organizations strive to explore the leader-related subtle dynamics and nuanced factors that contribute to the discernible impact on the adaptability of the workforce. Grounded in this organizational imperative, the present study investigates how superior-expressed humility shapes the adaptive performance of subordinates. Further, it illuminates the psychological mechanism of perceived relational energy in the under-explored link between expressed humility and adaptive performance. Design/methodology/approach Using scenario and survey methods, the data for the analysis were collected from 249 superior-subordinate dyads employed in Indian small and medium-sized enterprises. Further, the hypotheses were assessed using Analysis of a Moment Structures and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Hayes PROCESS Macro. Findings The findings illuminate a nuanced interplay wherein superior-expressed humility contributes positively to the adaptive performance of subordinates, with the partial mediation of perceived relational energy serving as a key explanatory factor in this dynamic relationship. Originality/value The present study makes a substantive theoretical contribution by introducing relational energy as a novel mediator that explicates the link between humble leadership and subordinate adaptive performance. In doing so, it extends the theoretical discourse of the Affect Theory of Social Exchange by illuminating active affective activation as a central underlying mechanism through which leadership behaviors engender adaptive outcomes among subordinates. Practically, the findings hold valuable implications for leadership development and organizational practices. Organizations can cultivate psychologically energizing environments that enhance adaptive performance by integrating relational energy-building interventions such as mentoring and recognition systems into leadership and human resource practices, thereby embedding humility and relational competence as essential dimensions of leadership assessment and development frameworks in dynamic and continuously evolving sectors.