Blaming leaders for team relationship conflict? The roles of leader-member exchange differentiation and ethical leadership

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingjian Zhou ◽  
Shuisheng Shi
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relationship Conflict ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lmx Theory ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Extended Power

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend our understanding of the role of leaders in team relationship conflict. Leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation was hypothesized to be positively related to team relationship conflict. Additionally, ethical leadership was hypothesized to moderate relations between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict. Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses were examined in a sample of 79 working teams. Data were collected via a questionnaire containing measures of LMX, team relationship conflict and ethical leadership. Findings – Hypotheses were supported by the data. LMX differentiation was positively related to team relationship conflict, and ethical leadership weakened the relationship between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict. Originality/value – This is the first theoretical analysis and empirical study of relationships between LMX differentiation and team relationship conflict. Theoretically, by using LMX theory to account for team-level outcomes, this study extended power of LMX theory. Practically, these results suggest that leaders may be responsible for team relationship conflict.

scholarly journals Leader–Follower Congruence in Work Engagement and Leader–Member Exchange: The Moderating Role of Conscientiousness of Followers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanhua Ye ◽  
Ziwen Wang ◽  
Xiaowei Lu
Keyword(s):  
Work Engagement ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Lmx Theory ◽  
Person Environment Fit ◽  
Work Tasks ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

Extant research has investigated the relationship between work engagement and various outcomes, such as job performance and organizational commitment, neglecting the effect of work engagement on social relationships at work. Drawing upon person-environment fit theory and LMX theory, the present study aims to examine the effect of (in)congruence between leader and follower work engagement on leader–member exchange (LMX) and the moderating effect of conscientiousness. About 273 employees and 72 leaders participated in this study and completed the measurements of work engagement, conscientiousness, and LMX at two time points. Using cross-level polynomial regressions, we found that, compared with incongruent work engagement, employees perceived high levels of LMX quality when their work engagement was aligned with that of their leaders. Regarding the congruence, the employees reported higher levels of LMX when congruence in work engagement was at higher rather than lower levels. Regarding the incongruence, when the employees engaged less in their work tasks than their leaders, they were more likely to experience lower LMX. Moreover, the negative relationship between incongruence in leader and follower work engagement and LMX was mitigated when followers were more conscientious. All our hypotheses were supported. Both theoretical and practical implications for work engagement as well as future directions are discussed.

Leader-member exchange differentiation and team creativity

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 798-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongdan Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Moderated Mediation ◽  
Relationship Conflict ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Team Creativity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation on team creativity by developing a moderated mediation model. The model focuses on the mediating role of relationship conflict in linking LMX differentiation with team creativity and the moderating role of team-member exchange (TMX) median in influencing the mediation. Design/methodology/approach – The authors tested the model with a time-lagged field survey data from 358 employees and 98 supervisors belonging to 98 teams in a large diversified company with more than 15,000 employees, based in Shanghai, Southeastern China. In the first stage (T1), employees assessed LMX, TMX, relationship conflict, and control variables. In the second stage (T2), the leaders were asked to report team creativity. Findings – Results indicated that the relationship between LMX differentiation and team creativity was mediated by relationship conflict. Moderated mediation analyses further revealed that relationship conflict mediated the relationship between LMX differentiation and team creativity for only those teams with low-TMX median. Research limitations/implications – Testing the moderated mediation model helps to advance our theoretical understanding of the intervening processes that underlie the effect of LMX differentiation on team creativity. The findings may also help Chinese managers to inform the importance of helping subordinates better adapt to LMX differentiation, reducing relationship conflict, and constructing high-quality TMX relationships within groups, in order to promote team creativity. Originality/value – This empirical study provides preliminary evidence of the mediating role of relationship conflict in the negative relationship between LMX differentiation and team creativity. The moderated mediation model also extends the existing finding by showing that not only the quality of social exchange relationships with a supervisor (i.e. LMX) but also with team members (i.e. TMX), can moderate the impact of LMX differentiation on team outcomes.

scholarly journals The influence of cognitive style diversity on intra-group relationship conflict, individual-level organizational citizenship behaviors and the moderating role of leader-member-exchange

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Qi ◽  
Steven John Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Organizational Citizenship ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behaviors ◽  
Relationship Conflict ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Citizenship Behaviors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Member Exchange

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the influence of cognitive style diversity on intra-group relationship conflict and individual-level organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). The role of leader-member exchange as a moderating variable is also examined. Design/methodology/approach The authors used hierarchical linear modeling and hierarchical regression analysis to analyze results from a sample of 344 members from 83 teams nested within 126 departments in six manufacturing organizations in the People’s Republic of China. Findings Results yielded general support for our hypothesized relationships between cognitive style diversity and intra-group relationship conflict. Leader-member exchange was also found to moderate the relationship between these two variables. Contrary to expectations, there were no relationships between these variables and individual-level organizational citizenship behaviors. Originality/value This research addresses calls from the team diversity and conflict literature to address the understudied area of deep-level cognitive diversity. Second, this study addresses previous calls for more team-level and mixed-level theory and methodology to inform OCB research. Third, this is the first study of group-level cognitive style diversity and the moderating influence of leader-member-exchange and provides valuable insights into ways of mitigating some of the negative effects of cognitive diversity on teams.

scholarly journals Work overload and leader–member exchange: The moderating role of psychological flexibility

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-184
Author(s):  
Karoline Hofslett Kopperud ◽  
Robert Buch ◽  
Christina Skogen
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Flexibility ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Dyadic Relationships ◽  
Work Overload ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Lmx Theory ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

Due to the strong focus on dyadic relationships in leader–member exchange (LMX) theory, it is vital to investigate the predictors of the types of relationships that leaders and subordinates develop. This study explores the supervisor-level antecedents of LMX. Drawing from conservation of resources theory, this study tests whether leaders’ psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between leaders’ perceptions of work overload and LMX. A field study was conducted among 186 subordinates and 93 leaders from a Norwegian public service organization. Multisource field data demonstrated general support for the hypothesized relationships. The results of multilevel analyses showed a negative relation between the perceptions of work overload of leaders with lower levels of psychological flexibility and their subordinates’ perceptions of LMX. Thus, psychological flexibility seemed to mitigate the negative implications of leaders’ work overload. This study extends previous studies on managers’ perceptions of work overload by introducing an important contingency of the relationship between managers’ perceptions of work overload and the quality of their relationship with subordinates. As such, this study contributes to a more complete understanding of the factors that relate to the development of high-quality LMX.

The roles of self-efficacy and leader–member exchange in the relationship between job crafting and work–self facilitation

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 1362-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diellza Gashi Tresi ◽  
Katarina Katja Mihelič
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeBuilding on the work–home resources model, the purpose of this paper is to test the mediating role of employee self-efficacy in the relationship between job crafting and work–self facilitation. The paper further explores the moderating role of the quality of leader–member exchange (LMX).Design/methodology/approachA sample of 204 employees from a European country was used to test the proposed moderated mediation model. The analysis was performed using Hayes’ Process Macro.FindingsThe findings indicate that job crafting is positively associated with self-efficacy which, in turn, is positively associated with work–self facilitation. In other words, self-efficacy mediates the relationship between job crafting and work–self facilitation. Furthermore, LMX moderates the relationship between job crafting and self-efficacy.Practical implicationsThe results of this study offer guidelines for human resource (HR) professionals interested in grasping how organisations can assist employees in experiencing work–self facilitation.Originality/valueThis study advances the existing literature by investigating the antecedents of work–self facilitation, which is an understudied variable in the work–family and HR literature, thereby responding to calls to include aspects of self in the discussion on different life domains in order to obtain an all-inclusive view of how employees function. Furthermore, it demonstrates how LMX and job crafting promote the fulfilment of an employee’s own personal interests and hobbies. Such information is relevant to HR practitioners as it might help them boost employees’ work performance.

Ethical leadership and organizational cynicism: the mediating role of leader-member exchange and organizational identification

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxia Qian ◽  
Guowei Jian
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Parallel Structure ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Organizational Cynicism ◽  
Member Exchange

PurposeThis study aims to construct and empirically test a theoretical model of a mediated relationship between ethical leadership and organizational cynicism.Design/methodology/approachFrom a communication perspective, this study examines the underlying mechanism of the association between ethical leadership and organizational cynicism. A cross-sectional survey was sent to participants in different occupations. Path analysis was used to test the overall model fit.FindingsThe results indicate that ethical leadership has both a direct and indirect effect on organizational cynicism through the mediating role of leader-member exchange (LMX) and organizational identification. However, a surprising finding is that the mediating mechanisms of LMX and organizational identification are not in a parallel structure, but in a serial pattern. That is, the mediating role of LMX is further mediated by organizational identification.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in several aspects. First, the study sheds light on leadership as an important source of organizational cynicism. In particular, the theoretical model presents pathways that show how the predictive effects of ethical leadership on organizational cynicism are mediated through leader-member relationships and organizational identification. Second, the theoretical analysis on the mediating process highlights the role of communication in facilitating the influence of leadership and constructing organizational identification. Third, the mediating model offers concrete guidance for organizations in their attempt to mitigate organizational cynicism.

Knowledge donating and knowledge collecting

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders Dysvik ◽  
Robert Buch ◽  
Bård Kuvaas
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Causal Inferences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the relationship between employees’ knowledge donating and managers’ knowledge collecting is moderated by social leader-member exchange (SLMX) and economic leader-member exchange (ELMX). Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 227 employee-leader dyads from four Norwegian organizations. Hierarchical moderated regression was used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Even though the authors observed a positive relationship between employees’ knowledge donating and managers’ knowledge collecting, the moderation analysis revealed a positive relationship only for high levels of SLMX relationships. Research limitations/implications – The data were cross-sectional, thus prohibiting causal inferences. Practical implications – SLMX relationships may be particularly important for the facilitation of knowledge exchange. Managers may draw on this finding to develop their relationships with employees by means of relationship-oriented behaviors. Originality/value – Given the importance of knowledge-sharing processes, a better understanding of the conditions under which knowledge donating related to knowledge collecting is particularly important. The present study advances knowledge on SLMX and ELMX relationships by demonstrating how SLMX moderates the association between knowledge donating and knowledge collecting.

Leader-member exchange differentiation and team member performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1347-1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Yuan ◽  
Shiying Xiao ◽  
Jian Li ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Lutao Ning
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation and team members’ job performance. The conceptual model developed in this paper also investigates the moderating role of the perception of organisational politics (POP) in affecting the association between LMX differentiation and team members’ job performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data using a survey from 32 Chinese firms. The questionnaire included scales measuring LMX, POP, job performance, and demographic variables. The final sample consisted of 122 teams with 561 employees. The hypothesised relationships among variables were assessed using hierarchical linear modelling. Findings The results show that the higher the LMX differentiation, the lower the level of team members’ contextual performance. The authors also found that POP has a significant effect in positively moderating the relationships between LMX differentiation and team members’ contextual and task performances. Research limitations/implications The conceptual model developed and verified in this paper provides essential insights for the research on LMX and job performance. Future studies are suggested to collect cross-national data to examine the conclusions of this study. Originality/value The association between LMX differentiation and team members’ job performance is moderated by the degree of POP.

The cynical subordinate: exploring organizational cynicism, LMX, and loyalty

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 1731-1748
Author(s):  
Kristyn A. Scott ◽  
David Zweig
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Exchanges ◽  
Reciprocal Relationships ◽  
Organizational Cynicism ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeAdopting a social exchange framework, this article examines the relationship between organizational cynicism and leader–member exchange (LMX) using two different methodologies.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 utilizes a longitudinal panel design (N = 291) to examine the reciprocal relationships between organizational cynicism and LMX over time. Study 2 (N = 348) positions loyalty as a possible mechanism through which organizational cynicism might impair LMX.FindingsStudy 1 provides evidence for the existence of some reciprocity in the relationships between organizational cynicism and LMX; however, organizational cynicism appears to be a stronger predictor of LMX than the obverse. The results of Study 2 suggest that cynical employees are less loyal to their supervisors, and this cynicism can interfere with the reciprocity process inherent in the creation and maintenance of high-quality social exchanges at work.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine the relations between organizational cynicism and LMX in a longitudinal design. Additionally, the inclusion of loyalty and demonstration that organizational cynicism impacts loyalty to supervisors negatively represents a novel direction in organizational cynicism research.

Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and Innovation Climate: the Role of LMX Differentiation

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Núria Tordera ◽  
Vicente González-Romá
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Leader Member Exchange ◽  
Moderator Effect ◽  
Lmx Theory ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
Innovation Climate ◽  
Moderator Role ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractLeader-member Exchange (LMX) theory has been shown to be one of the most compelling theories for understanding the effects of leadership on organizational behavior. This theory proposes that leaders establish differentiated relationships with each of their subordinates according to the exchanges produced between them. Recently, the concept of LMX differentiation has been introduced into the theory to extend research from the dyadic to the group level. The present paper uses a longitudinal design to analyze the moderator role of LMX differentiation in the relationship between mean LMX and innovation climate in a sample of 24 healthcare teams. The results showed no direct effects of mean LMX on changes in innovation climate over time. However, they provide support for the moderator effect of LMX differentiation in this relationship, as it was stronger when LMX differentiation was low than when it was high.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document