This study utilized social exchange and social learning perspectives to develop a theoretical model about how leader humility predicts follower unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Using two-wave data obtained from 203 full-time employees nested within 46 work teams in eastern China, regression analyses revealed a nonmonotonic association between leader humility and follower UPB, such that follower UPB was most at intermediate levels of leader humility. Moreover, the strength of this curvilinear relationship was found to be moderated by the followers' organizational identification, such that the inverted U-curve relationship between leader humility and follower UPB will be stronger for followers with high organizational identification than for those with low organizational identification. Implications in theory and practice, along with limitations of our findings, were discussed.

This study tested the relationship between servant leadership, unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) of employee, trust in managers, and employees' positive reciprocity beliefs (PRB). Data were collected from 392 employees who work in four and five-star hotels in Alanya, Turkey. Structural equation modeling and artificial neural network analyses provided evidence for direct and indirect relationships between servant leadership and employee UPB via trust in manager and PRB. Specifically, trust in manager and PRB strengthened the relationship of servant leadership with employee UPB. These findings suggest that servant leadership could have a previously unexplored dark side in certain contexts. The study enhances the servant leadership and UPB literature. It also suggests certain practical implications for hotel managers to be able to reduce employee UPB. The limitations and future research suggestions of the study are discussed.