Uncovering the impact of triadic relationships within a team on job performance: an application of balance theory in predicting feedback‐seeking behaviour

Journal article


Lan, Junbang, Huo, Yuanyuan, Cai, Zhenyao, Wong, Chi‐Sum, Chen, Ziguang and Lam, Wing 2020. Uncovering the impact of triadic relationships within a team on job performance: an application of balance theory in predicting feedback‐seeking behaviour. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 93 (3), pp. 654-686. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12310
AuthorsLan, Junbang, Huo, Yuanyuan, Cai, Zhenyao, Wong, Chi‐Sum, Chen, Ziguang and Lam, Wing
Abstract

Although a great deal of knowledge has accumulated about dyadic relationships (i.e., leader–member exchange (LMX) or team–member exchange (TMX)) within a team, employee behaviours that involve triadic relationships among focal employees, leaders, and teammates have seldom been investigated. Using balance theory, which describes triadic relationships from a power dependence perspective, in the current study, we explore how the interplay of LMX, TMX, and peers’ LMX jointly impacts employees’ feedback‐seeking behaviour (FSB) and subsequent job performance. By conducting a multilevel moderated polynomial regression on three‐wave, multi‐source data from 147 team members and their leaders (from 45 work teams), we found that the incongruence between LMX and TMX facilitates FSB when peers’ LMX or task interdependence is high. We also found an asymmetrical incongruence effect concerning the way in which individuals are more likely to seek feedback when LMX is worse than TMX, compared with when LMX is better than TMX. This differential effect is stronger when peers’ LMX or task interdependence is high. The interplay of LMX, TMX, peers’ LMX, and task interdependence eventually has an indirect effect on job performance through FSB. The results from a follow‐up study of 270 employees from 77 teams further confirm our predictions about the mechanism of balance theory. Specifically, the results indicate that when peers’ LMX is high, the incongruence between LMX and TMX decreases employees’ psychological safety.

KeywordsFeedback-seeking behavior; Leader-member exchange (LMX)
Year2020
JournalJournal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
Journal citation93 (3), pp. 654-686
PublisherWiley
ISSN0963-1798
2044-8325
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12310
Web address (URL)https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joop.12310
http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/853939
hdl:10545/625127
Output statusPublished
Publication dates14 Apr 2020
Publication process dates
Deposited27 Aug 2020, 09:06
Accepted28 Feb 2019
ContributorsSun Yat‐sen University, China, University of Surrey, Shanghai University, China, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China, University of Derby, University of Manchester and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
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https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/9223x/uncovering-the-impact-of-triadic-relationships-within-a-team-on-job-performance-an-application-of-balance-theory-in-predicting-feedback-seeking-behaviour

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