Does coaching leadership facilitate employees' taking charge? A perspective of conservation of resources theory

Purpose The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between coaching leadership and employees' taking charge while incorporating the mediating role of work meaningfulness and the moderating role of challenge-hindrance stressor. Design/methodology/approach A total of 355 pairs of effective samples were collected through a two-stage supervisor-subordinate paired survey. Four hypotheses were tested using hierarchal regression analysis and bootstrapping method. Findings The findings show that coaching leadership is positively related to taking charge, and work meaningfulness positively mediates the coaching leadership-taking charge relationship; high challenge stressors and high hindrance stressors weaken the positive effect of coaching leadership on work meaningfulness respectively; challenge stressors and hindrance stressors further moderate the indirect relationship of coaching leadership and taking charge through work meaningfulness. Originality/value This study provides a new perspective for organizations to activate employees' taking charge, thereby enriching the antecedents of taking charge. By incorporating challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study also provides answers to when coaching leadership will be less effective.