Abstract: Benevolent leadership means that the leader’s behavior demonstrates individualized, holistic and long-tem concern for subordinates. It is a constructive and most welcome leadership behavior by followers. At present, most of the researches focus on the relationships between benevolent leadership and other leadership styles and the influence on subordinates. Empirical studies show that benevolent leadership significantly affects work outcomes such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job performance. Future research should focus on two facets: Firstly, explore the mechanisms underlying the effect of benevolent leadership on leadership effectiveness and investigate the mediating and moderating variables. Secondly, consider longitudinal and multi-level research designs.

Key words: benevolence, benevolent leadership, individualized care, norm of reciprocity