The relationship between self-other rating agreement and influence tactics and organizational processes

This study examined the extent to which subordinates' perceptions of soft (i.e., consultation, ingratiation, inspirational appeals), hard (i.e., legitimating, pressure, exchange), and rational persuasion influence tactics were associated with the self-awareness of 144 Israeli telecommunications managers. Self-awareness was operationalized by categorizing managers as overestimators, underestimators, in-agreement/poor or in agreement/good based on the difference between the manager's and his or her subordinates' rating of the manager's charismatic leadership (Atwater & Yammarino, 1997). Results indicated that underestimators tended to use more rational persuasion than overestimators and in-agreement/poor managers. Overestimators tended to use fewer soft tactics than underestimators and in-agreement/good managers. In-agreement/good managers tended to use more exchange tactics and outperformed overestimators and in-agreement/poor managers in championing a climate of innovation and quality. The practical implications of these results are discussed.