Influence and promotability: the importance of female political skill

Abstract

Purpose -The current paper seeks to bring the political perspective to gender differences in promotion decisions, a phenomenon with great longevity in research and practice. Specifically, the degree to which gender role-congruent and counterstereotypical influence behavior is related to liking as moderated by political skill. Design/methodology/approach -Using a sample of n ¼ 136, these hypotheses were tested in retail organizations in the Northeast and Southwest. Findings -Political skill significantly moderates the relationship between ingratiation and liking, such that use of ingratiation was positively related to liking when women were high in political skill. However, the relationship between assertiveness and liking was unchanged by political skill level and was unrelated to liking. Liking was consistently found to be positively related to promotability ratings. Research limitations/implications -Questionnaire data collection is used exclusively; however, the subordinate and supervisor data were collected at two different times. Practical implications -The results are relevant for employees in that they imply a need for them to be cognizant of their behavior as it relates to social role expectations and for supervisors to understand the factors that could contribute to lower ratings. Social implications -The current results suggest that gender role-congruent influence behavior is positively related to socially relevant evaluations (i.e. liking); thus, women whose behavior is consistent with social expectations may be more positively evaluated. Originality/value -This study provides a political explanation for differences in women's promotability and also investigates mechanisms that may be related to reducing promotability disparity.

Paths from leadership to upward influence

“…The intersection of EI and employee satisfaction was also found among Eastern European employees (Zadel, 2008). Furthermore, men who employed more aggressive upward influence behavior were rated to be higher performers than those who used weaker tactics such as friendliness (Shaughnessy et al, 2011). Therefore, upward influence behavior and EI as antecedents to employee satisfaction and performance may attract attention of researchers.…”

A Review of Political Skill: Current Research Trend and Directions for Future Research

“…While political skill is the ability to execute political behaviours competently, political will represents an individual's motivation to engage in such behaviours (Doldor et al 2013). Some studies have found that even politically skilled individuals cannot achieve desirable outcomes unless they engage in political behaviour (Shaughnessy et al 2011;Shi et al 2013). Some studies have found that even politically skilled individuals cannot achieve desirable outcomes unless they engage in political behaviour (Shaughnessy et al 2011;Shi et al 2013).…”

Who is Being Judged Promotable: Good actors, high performers, highly committed or birds of a feather?

“…In a recent study, Carlson and his colleagues () found that deceptive IM is negatively related to promotability ratings. On the contrary, Shaughnessy et al () did not find a positive association between IM tactics (i.e., ingratiation and assertiveness) and promotability ratings. However, they observed that use of ingratiation is positively related to liking when women deploy political skills.…”

“…For example, Carlson and his colleagues () used a six‐item scale adapted from Kumar and Beyerlein's () Measure of Ingratiatory Behaviors in Organizational Settings (MIBOS) and Wayne and Ferris’ scale () of a subordinate's deceptive IM strategies. Shaughnessy, Treadway, Breland, Williams, and Brouer () used a three‐item scale adapted from Schriesheim and Hinkin (). However, Bolino and Turnley () raised serious concerns about the validity and reliability of these scales.…”