Alignment is the Key to Inclusion: The Joint Effects of LMX Alignment and Inclusive Leadership Climate Strength on Inclusion and Knowledge Sharing

Research highlights the organizational importance of workplace inclusion, yet the dyadic processes through which leaders and members shape inclusion remain unclear. This study examines how alignment between leaders and members in their perceptions of the exchange relationship (LMX) influences employees’ sense of inclusion. We also challenge the assumption that inclusive leadership is uniformly experienced across team members by identifying inclusive leadership climate strength as a critical boundary condition. Drawing on role identity and leadership climate theories, we propose that employees experience greater inclusion when leader–member LMX perceptions are aligned rather than discrepant. We further argue that high inclusive leadership climate strength—reflecting consistent enactment of inclusive behaviors across team members—amplifies this effect. Using data from 70 supervisors and 367 subordinates, polynomial regression analyses indicate that LMX alignment enhances workplace inclusion relative to misalignment, which in turn promotes knowledge sharing. This relationship is stronger when inclusive leadership is enacted consistently rather than variably. Our findings underscore the importance of perceptual congruence in exchange relationships and leadership consistency as key drivers of an inclusive workplace.