Leader-member exchanges and choice of influence tactics (original) (raw)
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Sex Roles, 1989
The study examined the effects of leader sex, subordinate sex, and subordinate performance on leaders" use of influence strategies. Forty-two male and 42 female engineering undergraduates participated in role-playing situations. Relative to females, males reported a greater likelihood of using such influence strategies as negative sanction, assertiveness, reward, and exchange. In general, subjects tended to employ more of negative sanction and asser-tivenes~ and less of reward and exchange when dealing with poorly performing subordinates than with well-performing subordinates. While the subordinate sex had little impact, few interactions were noted. Implications of these findings both for those in leadership roles and for future research are discussed.
Effects of leader‐member exchange on subordinates’ upward influence attempts
Communication Research Reports, 1991
This research examined the extent to which subordinates' perceptions of supervisory relationship quality affected how frequently they use different types of tactics in their self-reported upward influence attempts. Based on their responses to the Leader-Member Exchange Scale (1982), three hundred and thirty-seven respondents from five different organizations were classified into an in-group or out-group supervisory relationship. As a part of a larger study, a typology of upward influence messages was created based on the extent to which: (l) the means employed to attempt influence are open or closed, and (2) the desired outcomes are openly expressed or left undisclosed. The resulting dependent variable consisted of three types of tactics: open persuasion, strategic persuasion, and manipulation. MANOVA results indicated that in-group subordinates used significantly more open persuasion and strategic persuasion, and significantly less manipulation in their upward influence attempts than did out-group subordinates. Results are discussed in terms of the communicative aspects of the leader-member exchange construct. Leader-member exchange is a way to conceptualize the nature of superior-subordinate role relationships in organizations. This framework recognizes that supervisory relationships are rarely equivalent and that they develop in ways that cast subordinates in in-group or out-group roles (e.g., Dansereau, Graen & Haga, 1975; Graen & Cashman, 1975). In-group subordinates are more involved in communicating and administering activities, and seem to enjoy greater work-related support and responsiveness from their supervisors. Outgroup subordinates tend to develop more formal, restricted relationships with their supervisors and perform fairly routine tasks in their workgroups (Graen, 1976). While some reconceptualization of the leader member exchange construct has occurred (see Dienesch &
Organizational context and leader’s use of influence strategies
Two factorial studies, based on role-playing situations, are reported in this paper. Study 1 (N = 88 second-year engineering majors) examined the impact of organizational climate and subordinate performance on leaders' use of influence strategies. While climate had little or no impact,/ subordinate performance influenced significantly the two of the nine influence strategies--positive sanctions and withdrawal. The higher the subordinate performance perceived by the subjects the greater the likelihood of using these strategies. Study 2 (N = 88 first-year engineering majors) examined the role of subordinate performance and leader-member relationships on leaders' use of influence strategies. The findings regarding the performance effect were as evident in the second study as they were in the first. Additionally, the data indicated that the use of strategies is a function of the interaction between subordinate performance and leader-member relationships. Implications of these findings both for those in leaderships roles and for future research are discussed.
Social Influence Tactics and Influence Outcomes: The Role of Leader-Member Exchange and Culture
Building upon theories linking social influence with LMX and cross-cultural management, and deriving hypotheses from leadership and influence literatures, we examined in a 6 x 2 x 2 betweenparticipants full-factorial design the effect of three factors on the relative effectiveness of the use of social power: social influence tactics (six conditions: ingratiation, exchange of benefits, rationality, assertiveness, upward appeal, and coalition), LMX (two conditions: low-LMX and high-LMX), and culture (two countries: Canada and Malaysia). The first two factors were manipulated independent variables and the third one was a subject variable. Data were obtained from 609 undergraduate business students from a Western public university in Canada (n = 249) and a public University in Malaysia (n = 360). Results show that LMX does make a difference in the effective use of influence tactics. Influence tactics such as ingratiation, exchange, and rationality are more effective with high-LMX subordinates than with low-LMX subordinates. However, assertiveness, upward appeal, and coalition tactics of influence make no difference for low-and high-LMX subordinates. In addition, country culture acts as a moderator in that leader's use of influence tactics are more effective with Malaysian subordinates than with Canadian subordinates. However, the tactic of ingratiation is equally effective regardless of country cultures. Aspiring leaders need to be aware that their social influence is associated with various degrees of their relationship with their subordinates and the cultural context and may therefore wish to attempt to manage their use of power accordingly.
Leader influence behavior from the target's perspective: a two-factor model
2012
This thesis presents 3 studies that examine the factor structure underlying a target’s perception of downward influence. Drawing on meta-categorizations of influence tactics previously presented in the influence literature, Study 1 constructed a set of possible higher-order factor models and subjected them to competitive tests of model-data fit. The best fitting model was a two factor model of influence, consisting of: (a) a hard influence factor that includes legitimating, coalition, and pressure tactics, and (b) a soft influence factor that includes rational persuasion, consultation, ingratiating, inspirational appeals, exchange, and personal appeals. This factor structure supports the assertions of previous studies that hard tactics and soft tactics can be differentiated by the degree to which they either reinforce or threaten the target’s autonomy to choose to comply with the agent’s request. Study 2 analyzed the incremental validity of the hard factor versus the soft factor in ...
Understanding dysfunctional leader-member exchange: antecedents and outcomes
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 2010
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to identify a number of limitations of the theory on leader-member exchange (LMX). This paper aims to argue that under certain conditions high quality LMX can be dysfunctional. It proceeds to identify the antecedents and outcomes of dysfunctional LMX. Design/methodology/approach -This paper examines the theory on LMX and justice to identify the conditions that lead to dysfunctional LMX and its consequences. Findings -A review of the extant literature indicates that favouritism by the leader and the reliance on impression management by followers can lead to dysfunctional LMX. This can then lead to negative reactions from group members and undermine work group cohesiveness. Research limitations/implications -This paper points to new directions for research in LMX. It highlights the need to recognize that under certain conditions high quality LMX can be perceived as unfairness.
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1992
The effects of multiple influence tactics in dyadic compliance-gaining situations are underexplored. In a laboratory experiment, we exposed subjects to a scenario-based influence attempt within which tactics that convey a rational exchange of benefits were juxtaposed with soft tactics that project friendliness and flattery. We found support for the prediction that soft tactics would heighten compliance more in the absence, rather than presence, of an offered exchange. Implications and limitations are discussed.
European Management Review, 2020
Leadership is inextricably intertwined with the notion of influence. When examining the most prominent contemporary approaches to leadership, notably neo-charismatic leadership theories, trait-based approaches to leadership and leader-member exchange theories, the factors that determine leaders' influence are sought in the individual leader. This paper uses social identity approaches to leadership as a basis for constructing a conceptual argument for investigating factors beyond the individual leader that impact on leaders' influence. We focus on group-level factors that impact on leader influence. Using a minimal definition of social groups as point of orientation and framed by the philosophy of social constructionism, we show that two factors beyond the individual leader can be identified: group entitativity, or 'groupiness', is identified as a group-level factor, and group identification is identified as a member-level factor. This research contributes to a wider understanding of leader effectiveness by devoting closer attention to the effect of group dynamics on leader influence.
Communication Practices of Followers, Members, and Protégés: The Case of Upward Influence Tactics
Annals of the International Communication Association, 1999
Changing forms of organization and evolving conceptions of leadership have created the potential for followers to exert increased influence in American organizations. This chapter reviews research from a variety of disciplines on the nature of upward influence messages. Related forms of communication, such as feedback seeking, dissent, and relationship maintenance, are also discussed. Studies of the individual, relational, and organizational antecedents and outcomes of upward influence are presented. The author concludes that this form of communication has important consequences for individual members and leader-follower relationships. He suggests that future research should supplement existing work on influence tactics, with finer-grained analysis of the interactive behavior. The need to rethink traditional (psychological, hierarchical) conceptions of leader-member influence is established and alternate perspectives are explored.