Effects of empowering leadership on followers' work-family interface

Drawing on the work-home resources model, this study examines how and why empowering leadership influences followers' work-family conflict (WFC) and work-family positive spillover (WFPS). We focus on the mediating roles of leader-member exchange (LMX) and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) and the moderating role of followers' political skills. The results from a two-wave field survey of 272 employees in a state-owned enterprise in China indicate that LMX mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and WFPS and that OBSE mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and WFC. Moreover, political skills strengthen the main effects of empowering leadership on LMX and OBSE and the mediating effect of LMX on the relationship between empowering leadership and WFPS. Our findings have theoretical and managerial implications and indicate new research directions for leadership and work-family issues.