The Relationship Between College Teachers’ Perceived Servant Leadership and Teachers’ Organisational Citizenship Behaviour: The Mediating Effect of Teachers’ Psychological Capital

Abstract

Purpose: The empirical study of servant leadership in organisational behaviour has received considerable attention. However, there is a lack of research focusing on college teachers as a subject of study. Research Methods: A quantitative approach was used to investigate a valid sample of 835 teachers from three colleges in China. Data was collected using the Servant Leadership Scale, Psychological Capital Scale, and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale. Findings: The study found a significant and positive relationship between college teachers' perceptions of servant leadership and their psychological capital (β =.614, p<0.001). Additionally, there was a significant and positive relationship between teachers' psychological capital and their organisational citizenship behaviour (β =.671, p<0.001). The mediation test results showed that the direct link between college teachers' perceived servant leadership and their organisational citizenship behaviour remained significant even when teachers' psychological capital was taken into account as a mediating variable. The results of the analysis revealed a significant positive effect of college teachers' perceived servant leadership on teachers' organisational citizenship behaviour (β =.710, p<0.001). Additionally, there was a significant overall effect (β=.298, p<0.001) observed in the structural model analysis. The study observed a decrease in β from.710 to.298, indicating that teachers' psychological capital partially mediated the significant positive impact of college teachers' perceived servant leadership on their organisational citizenship behaviour in colleges. Implications to Research and Practice: This study suggests the importance of enhancing college teachers' perceived servant leadership and psychological capital in order to promote their organisational citizenship behaviour.