Are two cynics better than one? Toward understanding effects of leader–follower (in‐)congruence in social cynicism

Prior research suggests that leaders' social cynicism can undermine important follower outcomes such as followers' motivation and performance. However, these studies have exclusively focused on leaders' social cynicism and neglected that followers' views on the social world might also influence the leadership process. On the basis of theories of social beliefs and person–supervisor fit, we offer an integrative perspective and predict that it is the congruence between leaders' and followers' social cynicism that shapes leadership dynamics. Data from 116 leader–follower dyads from a broad range of organizations and industries support our model: Polynomial regression and response surface analyses show significant congruence effects of leaders' and followers' social cynicism on followers' extra‐role behaviors and followers' proactive work behaviors. These positive effects of congruence on follower outcomes are transmitted by leader–member exchange quality. Finally, congruence effects are stronger when leaders' and followers' social cynicism is low rather than high. Overall, our study suggests that it is the correspondence between leaders' and followers' social cynicism that influences followers' leader–member exchange, extra‐role, and proactive behavior. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for designing functional leader–follower dyads in organizations.     

Who takes the lead? A multi‐source diary study on leadership,work engagement,and job performance

Transformational leadership is associated with a range of positive outcomes. Yet, according to substitutes for leadership theory, there may be circumstances under which it is difficult, if not impossible, for leaders to inspire and challenge their employees. Therefore, we hypothesize that transformational leadership behaviors as well as employee self‐leadership strategies contribute to employee work engagement and job performance. Furthermore, we hypothesize that transformational leadership behaviors are more effective when employees have a high need for leadership, whereas self‐leadership strategies are more effective when employees have a low need for leadership. A sample of 57 unique leader–employee dyads filled out a quantitative diary survey at the end of each week, for a period of five weeks. The results of multilevel structural equation modeling showed that employees were more engaged in their work and received higher performance ratings from their leader when leaders used more transformational leadership behaviors, and when employees used more self‐leadership strategies. Furthermore, we showed that transformational leadership behaviors were more effective when employees had a high (vs. low) need for leadership and that the opposite was true for employee self‐leadership. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of employees in the transformational leadership process. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Janus face of paternalistic leaders: Authoritarianism,benevolence, subordinates' organization‐based self‐esteem,and performance

We investigated how the two components of paternalistic leadership, namely authoritarianism and benevolence, jointly influenced work performance through their impacts on organization‐based self‐esteem (OBSE). Using a sample of 686 supervisor–subordinate dyads collected from a manufacturing firm in the People's Republic of China, we found that OBSE mediated the negative relationship between authoritarian leadership on one hand and subordinate task performance and organizational citizenship behavior toward the organization (OCBO) on the other. We also found that the negative effect of authoritarian leadership on subordinate OBSE, task performance, and OCBO was weaker when supervisors exhibited higher levels of leader benevolence. Also, OBSE mediated the joint effect of authoritarian leadership and benevolent leadership on subordinate task performance and OCBO. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Abusive supervision and work behaviors: The mediating role of LMX

We investigated the mediating role of the leader–member exchange (LMX) in the association of abusive supervision and employee work behaviors (task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors toward the organization and individuals). Using data collected from 366 supervisor–subordinate dyads, we found that LMX fully mediated the negative effects of abusive supervision on all three work behaviors. In addition, we conducted a supplementary study on the basis of the data collected from 54 supervisor–subordinate dyads from a garment company, and we found that LMX mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and employee objective future performance with interactional justice controlled. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Organizational citizenship behavior in work groups: A team cultural perspective

Although researchers have often found positive relationships between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and performance rating, very few studies have scrutinized the team contexts in which such relationships exist. This study examines how OCB influences job performance ratings within different team cultures, as measured by team collectivism and individualism. On the basis of multilevel data collected from 81 teams working at a multinational bank in Hong Kong, team collectivism and individualism were found to moderate the OCB–performance rating relationship such that OCB targeting individuals improved rated performance in highly collectivistic teams only, whereas only organizational OCB produced a significant improvement in highly individualistic teams. The implications of these findings and directions for future research directions are discussed here. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of supervisor political skill in mentoring: Dual motivational perspectives

Drawing on self‐determination and self‐concept‐based theories, this study investigated the mediating effects of psychological empowerment and organization‐based self‐esteem on the relationship between supervisory mentoring and employee performance and the moderating effect of supervisor political skill on the direct and first stage of the indirect effects. Data were obtained from a sample of 330 subordinate–supervisor dyads from the People's Republic of China. Using PROCESS of conditional indirect effect, we found support for the moderated direct and indirect effects of supervisory mentoring. First, supervisor political skill moderates the direct effect of supervisory mentoring on employee promotability. Second, supervisor political skill moderates the indirect effect of supervisory mentoring on the following: (i) employee promotability via both psychological empowerment and organization‐based self‐esteem and (ii) contextual performance only via psychological empowerment. These direct and indirect effects of supervisory mentoring are stronger when supervisors demonstrate a higher level of political skill. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The dark side of socialization: How and when divestiture socialization undermines newcomer outcomes

This research examines the potential downsides of divestiture socialization. We theorize that supervisor behaviors and attitudes—that is, support for authenticity and creativity expectations—moderate the different stages of a model in which newcomers' authentic self‐expression mediates the negative effect of divestiture socialization on newcomer task performance, creativity, social integration, and job satisfaction. Specifically, supervisor support for authenticity allows newcomers to express their authentic self when faced with divestiture processes, and perceived supervisor creativity expectations enable them to deploy their authentic self‐expressions to enhance their creativity. A time‐lagged, multisource study of 142 newcomer—supervisor dyads provides support for these predictions, offering notable implications for theory and practice.     

The ripple effect: A spillover model of the detrimental impact of work–family conflict on job success

Exploring the role of both the employee and supervisor, we tested a model of how cognition‐based work‐to‐family conflict manifests itself in the workplace, impacting employee job success. Based on conservation of resources theory and the concept of loss spirals, we hypothesized that when an employee's work interferes with family demands, the resulting work‐to‐family conflict spills over to the work domain via employee emotional exhaustion. We further argued that the behavioral manifestation of employee emotional exhaustion in the workplace is low employee engagement, as assessed by the supervisor. Drawing on signaling theory, we proposed that supervisor assessments of employee engagement are related to promotability, performance ratings, and salary. Work scheduling autonomy, as a boundary condition, is examined as a resource that attenuates these relationships. Data collected from 192 employee–supervisor dyads of a Fortune 1000 company, as well as performance ratings and salary obtained from company records 9 months later, indicated support for our conceptual model. Future research examining employee work–family conflict and job outcomes is discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Counternormative impression management,likeability, and performance ratings: the use of intimidation in an organizational setting

Social‐role theory suggests that women are likely to be penalized for acting assertively (or in other ways that are counter to stereotypical expectations). Using a sample of 76 supervisor–subordinate dyads, this research investigates the reactions of supervisors to the use of intimidation strategies by men and women working in a law enforcement agency. The findings suggest that, among female employees, the use of intimidation tactics of impression management is negatively related to supervisor ratings of likeability. In contrast, among males, the use of intimidation is unrelated to supervisor ratings of likeability. In addition, for females, the use of intimidation is unrelated to performance ratings; among male employees, though, the relationship between intimidation and performance evaluations is positive. The implications of this study for management practice and future research are also discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Abusive according to whom? Manager and subordinate perceptions of abusive supervision and supervisors' performance

Recognizing that supervisor–subordinate dyads exist within a broader organizational hierarchy, we examine how the individual's role within the organizational hierarchy influences perceptions of abusive supervision. Specifically, we examine how supervisors' abusive behaviors are perceived by abusive supervisors' managers as well as abusive supervisors' subordinates. Drawing on role theory, we propose that these perceptions will differ. Further, we suggest that these differences will be reflected in different relationships between manager-rated abusive supervision and subordinate-rated abusive supervision and managers' evaluations of supervisor performance. Results from manager–supervisor–subordinate triads indicate differences between managers' and subordinates' view of abusive supervision. Further, managers' perceptions of abuse were related to supervisors' in-role performance, whereas subordinates' perceptions of abuse were related to workgroup performance. In Study 2, we replicate these findings and expand our investigation to an examination of supervisors' contextual performance. Additionally, we examine another contextual characteristic—aggressive climate—and demonstrate it influences how abusive supervision relates to managerial evaluations of supervisor performance. Future research and managerial implications are discussed.     

The role of perceived system knowledge in predicting appraisal reactions,job satisfaction,and organizational commitment

There is a very large research base in Applied Psychology on the importance of affective reactions on organizational functioning. Likewise, performance appraisal has been a heavily researched area within the field. The present field studies attempt to bridge our understanding of these two areas by studying the relationship between performance appraisal process variables and employee affective reactions. In particular, the current studies examine the effects of a relatively new performance appraisal variable, Perceived System Knowledge (Williams and Levy, 1992), on appraisal reactions and job attitudes. In both studies, there was a strong relationship between employees' levels of perceived system knowledge and their appraisal reactions and job attitudes. In Study 1, when controlling for performance rating, PSK was positively related to appraisal reactions, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The findings from Study 1 were replicated in the second study which employed a longitudinal design. In addition, Study 2 found a relationship between PSK and fairness perceptions. Implications for these results and suggestions for approaching performance appraisal from an organizational perspective are proposed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rewards and employee creative performance: Moderating effects of creative self‐efficacy,reward importance,and locus of control

The effects of extrinsic rewards on creative performance have been controversial, and scholars have called for the examination of the boundary conditions of such effects. Drawing upon expectancy theory, we attend to both reinforcement and self‐determination pathways that reveal the informational and controlling functions of creativity‐related extrinsic rewards. We further identify the individual dispositions that moderate these two pathways. Specifically, we propose that extrinsic rewards for creativity positively predict creative performance only when employees have high creative self‐efficacy and regard such rewards as important. We likewise propose that extrinsic rewards positively affect the intrinsic motivation of employees with an internal locus of control, thus enhancing their creative performance. Results based on a sample of 181 employee–supervisor dyads largely supported these expectations. The current analysis enriches the creativity literature by combining different perspectives in a coherent framework, by demonstrating the positive effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation, and by demonstrating that the rewards–creativity relationship varies across employees depending on their individual differences. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The role of situational factors in disciplinary judgements

This study examined the effects of four situational factors on the severity of punishment chosen by a manager following a rule infraction. Two attributes of the offender, gender and performance history, and two outcomes of the infraction, physical damage and personal injury, were combined within a scenario evaluated by 421 graduate business students in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 ANOVA design. Results indicated strong main effects for performance history, physical damage, and personal injury but not for gender. Further analyses indicated that the gender composition of the superior/offender dyad did not have a significant effect on the severity of discipline, although some variation occurred across dyads. These results imply that superiors are likely to base disciplinary judgements on situational factors, and that situational factors affect superiors' decisions in a simple, linear fashion.     

The impact of non‐performance information on ratings of job performance: A policy‐capturing approach

Researchers have suggested that rater motives and the organizational context should be considered as sources of performance appraisal inaccuracies. A review of the performance appraisal literature revealed three primary non‐performance factors that managers consider when rating employee performance: (a) Potential negative consequences of ratings, (b) organizational norms, and (c) the opportunity to advance self‐interests. Using a policy‐capturing methodology, the current study investigated if these three non‐performance factors, as well as individual rater differences (e.g., conscientiousness, agreeableness, and performance appraisal experience), influence performance ratings. A sample of 303 experienced managers rated the performance of a fictitious employee, featured in a series of hypothetical scenarios, in which the above information was manipulated. Using hierarchical linear modeling, the results revealed that each of the three non‐performance related considerations accounted for variance incremental to objective employee performance. Managers' performance appraisal experience also predicted ratings, such that more experience was associated with lower ratings. These results provide support for the view that non‐performance factors can be a substantive component of performance ratings. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How do I like thee? Let me appraise the ways

This study examined the effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationship between employee performance (measured objectively) and the supervisor's rating of that performance. To date, no field study has tested whether high and low LMX members receive differential ratings based on their LMX relationship, beyond their actual performance. Data were collected from employees (directory assistants, cable technicians, and dispatch clerks) and their supervisors in a telephone company. The objective measures of performance which were available for these jobs were related to supervisory ratings of performance for high and low LMX employees. The results showed that poorly performing high LMX employees were given high performance ratings, regardless of their actual performance. The ratings of low LMX employees were consistent with their actual performance. The effect of LMX was more pronounced with more general task and relationship rating categories. Alternative explanations of the results, as well as the theoretical and practical implications for performance appraisal and LMX research, were discussed.     

The interactive effects of conscientiousness,openness to experience,and political skill on job performance in complex jobs: The importance of context

Caveats concerning the ability of personality to predict job performance have been raised because of seemingly modest criterion‐related validity. The goal of the present research was to test whether narrowing the context via the type of job (i.e., jobs with complex task demands) and adding a social skill‐related moderator (i.e., political skill) would improve performance prediction. Further, along with political skill, the broad factor of personality demonstrated in prior research to have the strongest criterion validity (i.e., conscientiousness) was joined with a narrow construct closely related to openness to experience (i.e., learning approach) in a three‐way interactive prediction of supervisor‐rated task performance. With the employee–supervisor dyads among professionals, but not with the control group of non‐professional employees, task performance was predicted by the three‐way interaction, such that those high on all three received the highest performance ratings. Implications, strengths and limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inflation of subordinates' performance ratings: main and interactive effects of rater negative affectivity,documentation of work behavior,and appraisal visibility

We hypothesized that raters' tendency to deliberately inflate performance appraisal ratings of subordinates would be associated with rater negative affectivity (NA) and two characteristics of the performance appraisal context: documentation of subordinates' work behaviors and appraisal visibility. We further hypothesized interactions among these variables, such that high‐NA, but not low‐NA raters, would be more likely to inflate ratings under conditions of low documentation and high appraisal visibility. Moreover, we predicted that NA would be associated most strongly with rating inflation when documentation was low and appraisal visibility was high, simultaneously. Results from a sample of 148 supervisors from a variety of organizations supported these hypotheses. We discuss several practical implications of the results and suggest areas for future inquiry. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fatigued driver’s driving behavior and cognitive task performance: Effects of road environments and road environment changes

This study aims to explore the effects of different road environments and their changes on driving behaviors and cognitive task performance of fatigued drivers. Twenty-four participants volunteered in a 2 (road environment) × 3 (fatigue level) within-subjects factorial design simulated driving experiment. Participants were asked to perform basic numerical calculation and distance estimation of traffic signs when driving normally, and provide answers to a questionnaire on fatigue rating. Results show that fatigued drivers faced greater attention demand, were less alert, and tended to overestimate the distance to roadside traffic signs. Fatigue caused by driving in complex road environment had the greatest negative impact on driving behavior and visual distance estimation, and the fatigue transfer effect worsened significantly but differently on both driving behavior and performance of fatigued drivers when switching from a complex to a monotonous road environment and vice versa. Notably, this study shows that fatigued drivers performed relatively better in arithmetic tasks than non-fatigued ones. In addition, when switching from a monotonous to a complex road environment, drivers’ performance in visual distance estimation and arithmetic tasks improved though their driving behavior deteriorated, revealing that the fatigue effect upon drivers might be explained to some extent by their alertness and arousal levels.     

Safety management systems under Seveso II: Implementation and assessment

The `Seveso II Directive' (96/82/EC) requires certain establishments holding hazardous substances to implement a Safety Management System (SMS). The first part of the paper discusses the origin of this requirement, the guidance drawn up to help companies fulfil it, and the results of preliminary testing of this guidance. One important element in implementing and inspecting SMS is the identification of SMS weaknesses, the safety culture that effects SMS and finally the evaluation of safety performance. The second part of this paper examines some principles underlying industrial practice in evaluating SMS. Audit-related activities, involving proactive performance indicators for monitoring compliance with standards, are used nowadays to identify weaknesses of the SMS. Preventive actions to control risks and policy updating within the company through strategic plans are found to be sensitive to the number and type of SMS elements taken into account as indicators. The value of quantifying performance using simple rating systems in audits may be limited to the single installation. The guidelines and evaluation methods could thus produce useful results only when safety aspects and system elements are identified and evaluated separately for each installation; the value of quantification is limited to the individual elements after considering their functional relation with the rest of the elements in the SMS environment and the local safety culture into which they are developed.     

What happens when you trust your supervisor? Mediators of individual performance in trust relationships

To understand how trust in supervisor translates into individual job performance, we hypothesize that trust in supervisor facilitates positive psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety, and availability, which in turn predict individual job performance. We assert that each of the three mediating paths in our model represents a distinct mechanism by which trust in supervisor contributes to individual job performance. We test our hypotheses with 206 supervisor–subordinate dyads and find that trust in supervisor contributes to job performance through psychological availability and psychological safety but not psychological meaningfulness. By examining three different psychological mechanisms within the same frame, we provide a test that compares and contrasts the uniqueness of the three pathways. Our findings suggest practical ways for managers to build trust with subordinates and guidance for the design of productive work conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.