Motivator or burden? Unpacking the dual paths from leadership performance expectations to employee behavior

Purpose This study investigates how Leadership performance expectations affect employee work effort and emotional exhaustion through dual pathways – perceived competence and performance pressure – moderated by regulatory focus (promotion and Prevention focus). Design/methodology/approach A multi-wave survey tested main effects, while a scenario-based experiment validated the model using path analysis and bootstrapping for statistical rigor. Findings Leadership performance expectations enhance perceived competence (increasing work effort, reducing emotional exhaustion) and performance pressure (elevating emotional exhaustion, with mixed impact on work effort). Promotion focus strengthens the competence pathway, while moderation by prevention focus was not supported. Research limitations/implications This study relies on self-reported data, which may introduce common method bias despite procedural remedies. The sample is limited to Asian employees, restricting cross-cultural generalizability. Moreover, the dual effects of performance pressure may vary over time, as reflected in the different results across survey and experimental studies. Future research should adopt multi-source, longitudinal, and cross-cultural designs to validate and extend the model, and further explore how temporal dynamics, cultural contexts, and leadership styles interact with individual traits to shape the motivational and stress-related outcomes of leader performance expectations. Practical implications Leaders should frame expectations to affirm competence, tailor them to promotion-focused employees, and provide resources to mitigate performance pressure, fostering sustained effort and employee well-being. Social implications Leadership performance expectations influence not only organizational outcomes but also broader employee well-being and social sustainability. By balancing competence-enhancing expectations with support that mitigates pressure, organizations can foster healthier workplaces that reduce stress-related costs and enhance employee resilience. Promoting environments where individuals feel capable and valued contributes to stronger social capital, higher work–life balance, and reduced burnout risks. These practices benefit not only employees but also families, communities, and society by cultivating sustainable human resources and healthier labor markets. Originality/value Drawing on conservation of resources and cognitive appraisal theories, this study reveals dual resource-gain/loss mechanisms and regulatory focus as boundary conditions, reconciling mixed findings on Leadership performance expectations and enriching leadership-behavior theory.