The Impact of the Quality of a Relationship with Supervisors on Employee Work Attitude and Behaviors

Abstract

It has been shown that leader member exchange (LMX) relationships are related positively to subjective career success and negatively to counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). However, few studies have examined the possible mediators of these relationships. The present study proposed that need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation would mediate the relationship between LMX and both outcomes. It was hypothesized that high-quality leadership relationships would satisfy employees’ psychological needs and intrinsically motivate them which, in turn, would lead them to perceive themselves as more successful in their careers and to engage in fewer CWBs. Using data from 160 participants from an online survey, results showed that the satisfaction of the need for autonomy and relatedness and intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between LMX and subjective career success. Results also showed that the satisfaction of the need for competence mediated the relationship between LMX and subjective career success and that the satisfaction for the need for relatedness mediated the relationship between LMX and CWBs. Results of the study contribute to the current literature by better understanding the underlying mechanism of why high LMX leads to positive individual and organizational outcomes. It is recommended that organizations train leaders to develop high-quality relationships with their followers and develop effective methods for satisfying the needs of their followers.