The effect of Servant Leadership on Medical Staff Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: The role of Work Meaning and Power Distance

Objective: To examine the mechanism of servant leadership influence on unethical pro-organizational behavior based on social information processing theory. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to survey the medical staff of more than ten public hospitals in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of China, 420 valid samples were recovered and the data were analyzed using validation factor analysis, descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and moderated mediated effects analysis. Results: Servant leadership positively affects medical staff’s unethical pro-organizational behavior; work meaning mediates the relationship between servant leadership and medical staff’s unethical pro-organizational behavior; power distance moderates the indirect effect of servant leadership on medical staff’s unethical pro-organizational behavior through work meaning, and the higher the power distance is, the stronger that indirect impact is. Conclusion: Government authorities and hospital management need to be alert to the negative effects of servant leadership and consider the positive impact of servant leadership while also fostering correct ethical values and work codes of conduct among medical staff. In addition, communication and interaction between leaders and their subordinates should be strengthened to build high-quality superior-subordinate relationships, reduce power distance, and prevent the induction of unethical behaviors.