Psychology of Leaders and Leadership, Vol 29(1), May 2026, 56-79; doi:10.1037/mgr0000178
Drawing on social exchange theory, we examined if perceived leader narcissism relates to follower counterproductive work behavior, distinguishing between admiration and rivalry based on the narcissistic admiration and rivalry concept. We proposed that perceived leader rivalry, but not admiration, would be positively associated with counterproductive work behavior. Using conservation of resources theory, we investigated psychological empowerment and psychological safety as moderators. In a two-wave online study (N = 215) over 4 weeks, we found that perceived leader rivalry—but not admiration—was positively related to counterproductive work behavior when both dimensions were considered simultaneously in the regression analysis. No moderation effects were found. These findings underscore the detrimental role of perceived leader rivalry on followers’ counterproductive work behavior and suggest limitations of resource-based moderators. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)