Adaptive performance is an ideal follower behavior in today’s work environment. However, prior research suggests that leaders might struggle to influence followers in ways that facilitate this approach to work. Along those lines, drawing from social learning theory, we investigate leaders’ learning goal orientation. More specifically, we hypothesize a trickle-down model whereby leader learning goal orientation is associated with follower learning goal orientation, which in turn is associated with follower adaptive performance. Additionally, we investigate whether a dark-side personality characteristic—follower narcissism—has the potential to disrupt the leader-to-follower learning goal orientation social learning process. Our findings support our hypotheses such that follower learning goal orientation mediates the effect of leader learning goal orientation on follower adaptive performance, and that follower narcissism diminishes the indirect effect of leader learning goal orientation on follower adaptive performance via follower learning goal orientation. Theoretical and practical implications specific to the leader-follower social learning processes and adaptive performance are discussed.
