Pro-organizational unethical behavior refers to behaviors that aim to benefit the organizations and violate moral norms or standards. Based on the overarching framework of moral cleansing, the current work presents a model describing the indirect effect that leaders' unethical pro-organizational behavior has on followers' subsequent ethical behavior via followers' moral judgment of leader behavior and their feelings of guilt, as well as the moderation effect of followers' identification with the organization and identification with the leader on this indirect effect. Study 1 used a laboratory experimental design and data from 300 undergraduate students demonstrated a positive relationship between leaders' unethical pro-organizational behavior and followers' perceived immorality of leader behavior and the buffering moderation effect of followers' identification with the organization on this relationship. Study 2 used a correlational survey design and collected data from 490 full-time employees. Study 2 replicated the findings of Study 1 and observed a positive relationship between followers' perceived immorality of leader behavior and their feelings of guilt and the strengthening moderation effect of followers' identification with the leader on this relationship. Study 2 further demonstrated that followers' guilt was positively related to their subsequent engagement of ethical behavior that directly or indirectly compensated for the leaders' unethical conducts. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
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