Leader-member Exchange Differentiation Research Articles

You Abuse and I Criticize: An Ego Depletion and Leader–Member Exchange Examination of Abusive Supervision and Destructive Voice

We draw from ego depletion and leader–member exchange (i.e., LMX) theories to provide nuanced insight into why abusive supervision is indirectly associated with supervisor-directed destructive voice. A multi-wave, multi-source field study (n = 219) demonstrates evidence that abusive supervision has a positive conditional indirect effect on supervisor-directed destructive voice through subordinates’ relational ego depletion with their supervisors that is stronger for higher LMX differentiation contexts than lower LMX differentiation contexts. We make novel theoretical, empirical, and practical contributions by providing a parsimonious explanation for why relational aspects of supervisory treatment (i.e., abusive supervision and LMX differentiation) drain subordinates’ capacities for controlling their volitional actions during interactions with their supervisors (i.e., relational ego depletion) and how this relationship impacts subordinates’ supervisor-directed destructive voice. Overall, our study extends the application of ego depletion and LMX theories to the examination of abusive supervision and destructive voice in order to meaningfully inform researchers’ attempts to build cohesive streams of research in these areas and practitioners’ attempts to promote ethical workplace environments.

Toward Building a Multilevel Model of Perceived Leader-member Exchange Differentiation

To better understand why perceptions of LMX differentiation are detrimental to individual and team performance, we introduce and develop a validated measure of perceived leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation and then test a multilevel model of perceived LMX differentiation. We conducted three studies. In Study 1, we developed a six-item measure of perceived LMX differentiation and tested its nomological network with individual differences, work attitudes, and behaviors at the individual level using online panel data from 260 Australian employees. In Study 2, we tested the relationships of collective perceptions of LMX differentiation with team processes using data from 21 work teams in South Korea. In Study 3, we examined the impact of individual and collective perceptions of LMX differentiation on individual and team performance, respectively. Our findings highlight that (a) perceived LMX differentiation explains significant variance in individual performance as well as work attitudes and behaviors and (b) perceived LMX differentiation can be aggregated to the team level, and the collective perceptions of LMX differentiation can explains significant variance in team processes and team performance.

Relative Leader-Member Exchange and Multifoci Team-Level Differentiation in the Service Context

This study examines the mediating roles that self-efficacy and team commitment play in the relationship between relative leader-member exchange (RLMX) and customer service behaviors. Drawing on the optimal distinctiveness theory, this study also examines the moderating roles that team-level differentiations in leader-member exchange (LMX) and team-member exchange (TMX) play in the relationship between RLMX and customer service behaviors. Using data from 467 frontline employees in hotel restaurants, results show that self-efficacy and team-commitment both mediate the relationship between RLMX and customer service behaviors. The differentiations in LMX and TMX significantly interact with RLMX for self-efficacy and team commitment and also moderate the mediations of RLMX on customer service behaviors. Employees’ self-efficacy and team commitment depend more on RLMX when LMX differentiation was low or when TMX differentiation was high than when LMX differentiation was high or when TMX differentiation was low.

A Process Approach to LMX: Examining Dynamics, Differentiation, and Social Comparison

This symposium examines several processes related to leader-member exchange (LMX). Specifically, the papers in this symposium investigate LMX differentiation, LMX social comparisons, leader-follower relationship development, and reciprocal influence. To do so, we examine novel inputs into these processes, including the role of leader cognitive ability in LMX differentiation, the importance of relative overqualification in LMX social comparisons, the influence of leader mindfulness in the development of leader-follower relationships, and the function of daily leader emotional states and daily follower performance in the reciprocal influence process. Further, we consider how these inputs affect outcomes of these processes for leaders, followers, leader-follower dyads, and work groups. Overall, our symposium advances understanding of the major processes within LMX research by examining novel inputs and important outcomes to individuals, dyads, and organizations. Do Intelligent Leaders Differentiate LMX Intelligently? An Investigation of “G” and LMX Presenter: Fadel Khalil Matta; U. of Georgia Presenter: Emma Laier Frank; U. of Georgia Presenter: Crystal I Chien Farh; U. of Washington Presenter: Stephanie Myunghee Lee; Baylor U. Leader-Member Exchange Social Comparison as a Mediator of the Effects of Relative Overqualificatio Presenter: Farid Jahantab; The U. of Texas at El Paso Presenter: Berrin Erdogan; Portland State U. Presenter: Prajya Rakshit Vidyarthi; The U. of Texas at El Paso Presenter: Smriti Anand; Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology Making Mindfulness: Relational Decentering within Leader-Member Relationships Presenter: David Sluss; Georgia Institute of Technology Presenter: Yifeng Fan; Georgia Institute of Technology From Me to You and Back to Me: Examining the Dynamics of LMX Relationships Presenter: Amy Bartels; U. of Nebraska, Lincoln Presenter: Hudson Sessions; Arizona State U. Presenter: Jennifer Nahrgang; Arizona State U. Presenter: Kelly Schwind Wilson; Purdue U., West Lafayette Presenter: Lusi Wu; Purdue U., West Lafayette Presenter: Jared Law-Penrose; Indiana U. Southeast

The Nature of LMX Differentiation and Diversity Climate

Diversity climate has been recognized as key to preventing negative diversity effects and fostering positive diversity effects. Despite this consensus, the field has recently been criticized for us...

Influence of equity sensitivity on organizational citizenship behavior and knowledge sharing

Current study investigated the moderation effects of the performance-based organizational culture and the LMX differentiation on the associations of equity sensitivity to OCB and knowledge sharing. The result showed that when the gainsharing, compared to individual performance, was more emphasized and when the LMX differentiation was low, the benevolents showed more OCB and knowledge sharing, while there was no difference for entitiles, regardless of performance-based organizational culture and LMX differentiation. Besides, the moderation effect of the LMX differentiation was qualitied by the LMX. Based on the results, the implication and future research were discussed.

Influence of Equity Sensitivity on Organizational Citizenship behavior and Knowledge Sharing: Moderation effect of Performance-based organizational culture and LMX Differentiation

Current study investigated the moderation effects of the performance-based organizational culture and the LMX differentiation on the associations of equity sensitivity to OCB and knowledge sharing. The result showed that when the gainsharing, compared to individual performance, was more emphasized and when the LMX differentiation was low, the benevolents showed more OCB and knowledge sharing, while there was no difference for entitiles, regardless of performance-based organizational culture and LMX differentiation. Besides, the moderation effect of the LMX differentiation was qualitied by the LMX. Based on the results, the implication and future research were discussed.

Not all differentiation is the same: Examining the moderating effects of leader-member exchange (LMX) configurations.

Leaders often influence whether an employee stays or quits and yet research in collective turnover, or turnover at the work-unit level, has neglected leadership as a key antecedent. In the current study we examine how the quality of leader-member relationships within a group (i.e., leader-member exchange, LMX) influences building a shared mindset of collective organizational commitment and ultimately influences collective turnover. We build on a key tenet of LMX theory that leaders form differentiated relationships with followers and propose that not all LMX differentiation is the same and therefore, researchers must take into account the configuration, or mix of high and low LMX relationships, within a group. We expect LMX configurations will moderate the influence of LMX differentiation on collective turnover through the mechanism of collective organizational commitment. We find 5 configurations of LMX relationships, including a bimodal, solo-status low LMX, solo-status high LMX, and 2 fragmented configurations. As hypothesized, LMX differentiation positively relates to collective organizational commitment and negatively relates to collective turnover in a solo-status low LMX configuration and a fragmented LMX configuration, and negatively relates to collective organizational commitment and positively relates to collective turnover in a bimodal configuration. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

The action mechanism of team learning orientation in promoting team performance

We applied the motivated information processing in group (MIP-G) model to examine the relationship between team learning orientation and team performance by conducting a field study of 226 employees in 35 teams. The results showed that team learning orientation was positively related to team performance, and that team task reflexivity played a partially mediating role in this relationship. Further, team leader–member exchange differentiation strengthened the positive effect of team learning orientation on team task reflexivity, which, in turn, strengthened the indirect effect of team learning orientation on team performance via the mediator of team task reflexivity. From a theoretical standpoint, we have extended the literature on team-level performance, and from a practical perspective, our results have implications for the management of teams.

When Caring Leaders Are Constrained: The Impact of LMX Differentiation on Leader Empathic Concern in Predicting Discretionary Work Behaviors

Empathic leaders often create high-quality relationships with their subordinates, and these relationships are suggested to increase several beneficial outcomes for employees and organizations alike. Yet leader–member exchange (LMX) theory suggests that leaders do not have such high-quality relationships with each of their subordinates, leading to varying levels of LMX differentiation. We examine how leaders’ empathic concern, a trait-based assessment of leader empathy, may incite additional discretionary efforts in the form of assisting coworkers with interpersonal facilitation and taking on additional tasks with job dedication. However, we suggest that when these empathic leaders are constrained, it reduces their ability to form high-quality relationships with all of their subordinates, resulting in high LMX differentiation. This LMX differentiation is expected to influence empathic leaders’ ability to motivate their followers to engage in altruistic behaviors. In a field study of workplace groups, we find that leader empathic concern positively affects interpersonal facilitation and job dedication only when LMX differentiation is low, providing support for our contention that the effects of empathic leadership may be situationally constrained. Findings and future directions are discussed.

Understanding the Disparate Behavioral Consequences of LMX Differentiation: The Role of Social Comparison Emotions

The burgeoning literature on LMX differentiation has demonstrated positive and negative cross-level outcomes depending on specific boundary conditions. Although this research has provided key insig...

Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Ambivalence and Task Performance: The Cross-Domain Buffering Role of Social Support

Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory proposes that leaders develop different quality relationships with those they manage and this is predictive of work performance. While LMX quality has been viewed as univalent (ranging from low to high quality), this paper proposes that it can also be bivalent in nature (i.e., coexisting positive and negative thoughts towards the relationship), which we refer to as LMX ambivalence. A survey measure of LMX ambivalence is developed, and through three validation and two main studies, it is shown to have construct, discriminant, and incremental predictive validity beyond that of LMX quality. Hypotheses concerning LMX ambivalence and task performance are tested in two main studies and show that (1) LMX ambivalence is negatively related to performance regardless of LMX quality, (2) high levels of perceived support from the organization (Study 1) or coworkers (Study 2) nullify the negative association between LMX ambivalence and performance, and (3) high LMX ambivalence leads to more negative affect and in turn lower task performance, but only when coworker support is low (Study 2). These results show the importance of viewing LMX quality not only in terms of its absolute level (low vs. high quality) but also as a bivalent construct where both positive and negative cognitions can coexist. They also demonstrate the value of social support in buffering the negative effects of LMX ambivalence. Furthermore, our findings extend a central tenet of LMX theory by implying that LMX quality varies not only within groups (i.e., LMX differentiation) but also within leader-follower dyads.

Is Leader–Member Exchange Differentiation Beneficial or Detrimental for Group Effectiveness? A Meta-Analytic Investigation and Theoretical Integration

Despite the burgeoning number of studies that have examined leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation, definitive conclusions regarding its effects remain scarce. We propose a theoretical framew...

Shared leadership and team effectiveness: The examination of LMX differentiation and servant leadership on the emergence and consequences of shared leadership

ABSTRACTThis study examined the effects of leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation on team-shared leadership and team effectiveness. Drawing on the group engagement model, we suggested that LMX differentiation negatively affects team-shared leadership and team effectiveness (i.e., team performance and team organizational citizenship behavior [OCB]). Servant leadership weakens the negative effects of LMX differentiation on shared leadership. We tested our predictions using data from a sample of 336 salespersons nested in 110 sales teams in China. We found that shared leadership mediated the relationships between LMX differentiation with both team performance and team OCB. In addition, servant leadership moderated the relationship between LMX differentiation and shared leadership and the indirect relationship between LMX differentiation with both team performance and team OCB.

Leader–Member Exchange Level and Differentiation: The Roles of Interpersonal Justice Climate and Group Affective Tone

We examined the effect of leader–member exchange (LMX) level and differentiation on interpersonal justice climate and positive group affective tone. We proposed a moderated mediation model with interpersonal justice climate as a mediator and team-level LMX differentiation as a moderator. The study sample comprised 333 employees in 73 teams from 14 South Korean companies. Results showed that LMX level was positively associated with positive group affective tone and that interpersonal justice climate partially mediated this relationship. Team-level LMX differentiation moderated the mediation effect, such that high LMX differentiation within a team negatively affected interpersonal justice climate, thus weakening the positive effect of LMX level on positive group affective tone. This suggests that LMX differentiation influences positive group affective tone, meaning it may be advisable for the quality of this relationship to be differentiated only when there is a low level of support and trust between the team leader and members.

The Congruence Effects of Leader and Group-rated LMX Differentiation on Relational Conflict

Drawing upon role theory pertaining to sent and received role expectations, we examine leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation from both group members’ and leaders’ perspectives. More specifically, we investigate the relationship between the agreement of leader-rated and group-rated rated LMX differentiation and member perceived relationship conflict. We argue that the level of relational conflict is lower when group-rated LMX differentiation aligns with leader-rated LMX differentiation. Further, we expect that vertical collectivism climate moderates this relationship such that the congruence effect is weaker when vertical collectivism climate is high. The results of cross-level polynomial regression and response surface analyses on 65 groups generally supported the hypotheses regarding the congruence effect of leader-group agreement in LMX differentiation on relational conflict and the moderating role played by a group’s vertical collectivism climate.

Social Comparison and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior

This study aims to understand the role of social comparison in motivating unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Previous studies have proposed that social exchange and organization identification are the two driving forces for UPB. However, we identify social comparison as an alternative mechanism in explaining UPB. We propose that relative leader-member exchange (RLMX) as a reflection of objective social comparison information, desire for status as a reflection of comparison preference, and leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation as a social comparison context, are positively related to UPB. Using longitudinal data for 407 employees embedded in 91 teams in a large manufacturing company, we found that RLMX, desire for status, and LMX differentiation were predictors for UPB, and that the effect of RLMX on UPB was stronger when desire for status was high. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Role of Surrogates in perceptions of LMX Differentiation: a Social Network Perspective

By integrating a social networks perspective with leader- member exchange (LMX) theory, we attempt to investigate how leader surrogates (i.e., leader’s closest and more trusted subordinates) influence LMX differentiation, or the perceived variability in overall LMX quality, and ultimately team performance. Using a sample of health care teams, the results show that the form of surrogates’ influence on LMX differentiation is determined by the social ties that connect surrogates to others members within the team and that define their position in the team network. Moreover, the findings support the argument that such influence is contingent on the network structure of the team. Implications for theory and managerial practice and future research directions are discussed.

A Model of Servant Leadership and Voice Through LMX Differentiation and Psychological Safety

Based on the servant leadership literature, researchers have found a lot of mediators, which can also be used by other leaderships. Researches have generally not uncovered the black box of unique mechanism for the unique characteristics of servant leadership. Integrating categorization theory with servant leadership research, this study tests the influence and mechanisms of servant leadership on team voice climate and employee voice behavior, including the mediating role of LMX differentiation and employee psychological safety, as well as the multilevel moderating role of team work goal progress. Data were collected from 349 subordinates and their immediate supervisors from 74 teams in Beijing, Guangzhou, Yunnan, and Chengdu of China to ensure the external validity of our study. Cross-level investigation reveals that servant leadership has a significant influence on team voice climate through LMX differentiation and employee voice behavior through employee psychological safety, while team work goal progress serves as multilevel moderator and moderated mediator for both team and individual levels relationship.

The Basis of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Differentiation: Content and Consequence

Past research has shown equivocal findings regarding the effects of LMX differentiation on individual and group outcomes. Recently, scholars have conceptualized and demonstrated that the basis of L...