We integrate theory and research about individuals’ responses to failures to develop a model in which occupational progress failures precipitate ruminative processes that limit the extent individuals subsequently act as informal leaders. Our first study, an experiment with a sample of advanced accounting students, found that manipulating poor performance on a simulated certification test promoted ruminative thoughts about the test, which were negatively related to peer ratings of informal leadership behavior during a subsequent task. A separate field study using a regression discontinuity design in a 14-week military training program found that failure to pass the required physical fitness examination early in group formation influenced psychosomatic symptoms, an indirect measure of sustained rumination, and consequently hindered enactment of informal leadership behavior. We also theorized and found that neuroticism enhanced the positive effect of failure on rumination in Study 1 and psychosomatic symptoms in Study 2. We discuss the implications for developing theories concerning how disruptive personal events may interfere with employees’ engaging in informal leadership behavior.

中文翻译：

---

努力达到标准：职业进展失败和非正式的领导行为

我们整合了关于个人对失败的反应的理论和研究，以开发一个模型，在该模型中，职业进步失败会引发反思过程，限制个人随后作为非正式领导者的程度。我们的第一项研究是对高级会计学生样本进行的一项实验，发现在模拟认证测试中操纵不良表现会促进对测试的反刍思维，这与后续任务中非正式领导行为的同行评级呈负相关。在一项为期 14 周的军事训练计划中使用回归不连续性设计进行的一项单独实地研究发现，未能在组队早期通过所需的体能检查会影响心身症状，这是持续反刍的间接衡量标准，从而阻碍了非正式领导行为的制定。我们还进行了理论分析并发现，神经质在研究 1 中增强了失败对沉思的积极影响，在研究 2 中增强了心身症状。我们讨论了关于发展关于破坏性个人事件如何干扰员工参与非正式领导行为的理论的影响。