The Relationship of Subordinate Upward‐Influencing Behavior, Health Care Manager Interpersonal Stress, and Performance1

Abstract

This investigation examined the relationship among subordinate upward‐influencing behavior, superior interpersonal stress, and superior performance within a health care setting. It was predicted that hard upward‐influencing behavior as exerted by subordinates would be (a) inversely related to subordinate ratings of health care manager performance and (b) positively associated with health care manager interpersonal stress. Data were collected from 76 females and 4 males who were subordinates to 10 health care managers. All were employees in a 116‐bed not‐for‐profit acute care community hospital. Subordinates completed the Satisfaction With My Supervisor Scale (Scarpello & Vandenberg, 1987), work unit and health care manager effectiveness scales (Bass, 1985b), and Form M of the Profiles of Organizational Influence Strategies (Kipnis & Schmidt, 1982). Interpersonal stress was assessed by the 10 health care managers' completion of the Responsibility for People subscale of the Stress Diagnostic Survey (Ivancevich & Matteson, 1980). The results generally supported the two hypotheses. The implications of these findings were discussed. It was recommended that organizations should encourage rational subordinate upward‐influencing behavior to reduce interpersonal stress and promote performance.