Leader anger expression is a common phenomenon in the workplace and has garnered significant attention from scholars. Previous research has primarily explored the impact of leader anger expression on employee work attitudes and behaviors from an interpersonal perspective, while neglecting to investigate this issue from an intrapersonal viewpoint. Drawing on affective events theory, this study examines when and how leader anger expression influences leaders’ subsequent attitudes and behaviors in different ways from an intrapersonal perspective. Specifically, we propose that when team cultural tightness is lower, leader anger expression is positively associated with leader contentment, which in turn increases abusive behaviors and decreases support toward employees. Conversely, when team cultural tightness is higher, leader anger expression is positively related to leader regret, leading to greater support and reduced abusive behaviors. These hypotheses were supported by a two-wave field survey conducted with 259 leader-follower dyadic pairs. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings, as well as directions for future research, are discussed.
