Coworkers’ self-leadership and employees’ knowledge sharing: a moderated chain mediation model

Purpose Self-leadership’s positive interpersonal influence is rarely considered in empirical research despite its significance to organizational social dynamics. Thus, this study aims to investigate self-leadership’s interpersonal effects and identify the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical model is validated through a two-point time-lagged survey. Findings Coworkers’ self-leadership positively impacts employees’ knowledge sharing through admiration and relationship desire. The chain mediation effect is moderated by perceived competitive climate: the higher the perceived competitive climate, the stronger the positive indirect effect will be. Practical implications Organizations should prioritize fostering employee self-leadership to facilitate knowledge sharing, especially in highly competitive environments. Originality/value By identifying the interpersonal effects of self-leadership, this study provides a fresh perspective to the literature on self-leadership, enriching the consequences of self-leadership.