Leader political skill, influence tactics, and member performance: Supplementary, complementary and contrasting perspectives

This study highlights the importance of leader political skill as a moderator of the relationship between influence tactics used by leaders and member outcomes - in-role performance, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). We collected data from 185 leader-member dyads to empirically test this relationship. We found that when leader political skill and influence tactics supplement each other, it only upholds existing beliefs about the leader and jointly account for little incremental variance in member outcomes. Whereas, when leader political skill and influence tactics complement each other, it provides missing information about the leader and has a positive impact on member outcomes. We also found that when politically skilled leaders use tactics that are in sharp contrast to their interpersonal style of leadership, it will lead members to question the positive beliefs about the leader and will negatively impact member outcomes.

Automated summary

The study emphasizes the importance of leader political skill as a moderator of the relationship between influence tactics used by leaders and member outcomes. When leader political skill and influence tactics supplement each other, it only upholds existing beliefs about the leader and jointly account for little incremental variance in member outcomes, but when they complement each other, it provides missing information about the leader and has a positive impact on member outcomes. Additionally, politically skilled leaders using tactics in sharp contrast to their interpersonal style of leadership will lead members to question positive beliefs about the leader and negatively impact member outcomes.