Elisa Maria Galliani

Elevation at work: The effects of leaders’ moral excellence

Leaders influence followers in many ways; one way is by eliciting positive emotions. In three studies we demonstrate that the nearly unstudied moral emotion of ‘elevation’ (a reaction to moral excellence) mediates the relations between leaders’ and their followers’ ethical behavior. Study 1 used scenarios manipulated experimentally; study 2 examined employees’ emotional responses to their leaders in a natural work setting; study 3 compared the effects of elevation to those of happiness, serenity, and positive affect. We found that leaders’ interpersonal fairness and self-sacrifice are powerful elicitors of elevation, and that this emotion fully mediates leaders’ influence on followers’ organizational citizenship behavior and affective organizational commitment. In the first study, we also observed a moderation effect of interpersonal fairness on self-sacrifice. Results underline the importance of positive moral emotions in organizations and shed light on the emotional process by which ethical leaders can foster positive organizational outcomes.

Theories and Measures of Occupational Calling: a Review and Research Agenda

People differ in the way they experience academic and professional careers, some may feel ‘called’ to a particular domain, while others may perceive their job as a simple mean to achieve higher goals. Research on career or vocational calling is still in its infancy, but it has so far observed some consistent results. Nonetheless, researchers have to deal with the lack of consensus about what constitutes a calling and how it should be measured. This paper addresses these needs by summarizing the main results of empirical research on calling. We integrate previous theoretical accounts in one single view that emphasizes commonalities across different theories and contributions. Next, we explore the academic and organizational outcomes of having a calling, highlighting those that showed more reliable empirical support. In this review, special attention will be devoted to the dynamics and individual development of calling. Finally, future research directions are discussed