The effect of leader-follower psychological capital on contextual performance

ZOU Yan-Chun; PENG Jian; HOU Nan; DIAO Yi-Ran

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2020, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3) : 673-680.

The effect of leader-follower psychological capital on contextual performance

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Abstract

With the movement of positive organizational scholarship, the research topic of psychological capital was proposed. Psychological capital is defined as “an individual’s positive psychological state of development that is characterized by self–efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience”. Given that psychological capital has an important role of the development of the organization, this topic increasingly attracts attention and interest from scholars and practitioners alike. Previous research posited that psychological capital played a crucial role in shaping followers’ contextual performance. However, previous studies took a “follower central perspective or leader central perspective” approach to investigate the effect of follower psychological capital or leader psychological capital (separately), while ignoring their combination effect. In view of this, the present study focuses on the combination of leader psychological capital and follower psychological capital and its effect on followers’ contextual performance. Drawing on similarity–attraction theory, we proposed that the different combination modes of leaders’ and followers’ psychological capital could shape the quality of their interaction (job–based relationship represented by leader–member exchange and personal relationship represented by supervisor–subordinate guanxi), which in turn exerts effect on the contextual performance of the follower. Based on the two–wave data from 163 leader–follower dyads, this study used polynomial regression combined with response surface method to conduct analysis. The results showed that the more agreement (i.e., higher congruence) between a leader’s psychological capital and a follower’s psychological capital, the higher leader–member exchange (LMX) and supervisor–subordinate guanxi (SSG). In the cases of congruence, LMX and SSG were higher when leader psychological capital and follower psychological capital were both high instead of being both low. However, in the cases of incongruence, the level of LMX and SSG under the condition where leaders own higher psychological capital than followers were not significant different from those under the condition where followers own higher psychological capital than leaders. The combination of leaders’ psychological capital and followers’ psychological capital had a positive effect on follower contextual performance through LMX and SSG. This study contributes to the literature in several aspects. First, by revealing the congruence effect of leader–follower psychological capital on LMX, SSG, and the subsequent contextual performance, our findings serve as empirical complements for previous studies regarding the relationship between psychological capital and contextual performance. Second, by revealing the mediating role of LMX and SSG in the relationship between leader–follower psychological capital and contextual performance, this study contributes to a detailed understanding of how the combination of leaders’ psychological capital and followers’ psychological capital influences follower contextual performance. Finally, our results provide some insights for practitioners on how to promote workplace follower contextual performance, such as promoting both leader psychological capital and follower psychological capital to a congruent high level.

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psychological capital / leader–follower (in)congruence / leader–member exchange / supervisor–subordinate guanxi / contextual performance.

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The effect of leader-follower psychological capital on contextual performance[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2020, 43(3): 673-680

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