›› 2020, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 673-680.

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The effect of leader-follower psychological capital on contextual performance

  

  • Received:2019-01-21 Revised:2019-09-22 Online:2020-05-15 Published:2020-05-20
  • Contact: Jian PENG

领导–下属心理资本一致性对周边绩效的影响——工作关系与私人关系的中介作用

邹艳春1,彭坚1,侯楠2,2,赵怡然2,2   

  1. 1. 广州大学
    2.
  • 通讯作者: 彭坚

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.

Key words: psychological capital, leader–follower (in)congruence, leader–member exchange, supervisor–subordinate guanxi, contextual performance.

摘要: 本文基于相似吸引理论,考察了领导–下属心理资本一致性能否影响双方的工作关系(领导–下属交换,LMX)和私人关系(领导–下属关系,SSG),继而塑造下属的周边绩效。采用多项式回归和响应面分析技术,对164份领导–下属配对数据进行分析,结果表明:领导–下属心理资本越一致,双方的LMX和SSG越高;在一致情形下,与“低–低一致”相比,”高–高一致”时的LMX和SSG更高。领导–下属心理资本一致性通过LMX、SSG影响下属的周边绩效。以上结果能为如何有效利用心理资本管理领导–下属的人际互动、下属周边绩效提供启发。

关键词: 心理资本, 领导–下属契合, 领导–成员交换, 领导–下属关系, 周边绩效