Gendered Influence A Gender Role Perspective on the Use and Effectiveness of Influence Tactics

• Published in: Journal of management Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 1156 - 1183
• Main Authors: Smith, Alexis N., Watkins, Marla B., Burke, Michael J., Christian, Michael S., Smith, Caitlin E., Hall, Alison, Simms, Shalei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-07-2013; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Effectiveness; Gender; Gender differences; Gender differentiation; Gender relations; Gender roles; Influence; Labor policy; Men; Meta-analysis; Organizational behaviour; Sex differences; Sex roles; Social influence; Studies; Tactics; Women; Working conditions; meta-analysis; influence tactics; gender; gendered environment
• ISSN: 0149-2063; 1557-1211
• DOI: 10.1177/0149206313478183

The current study meta-analytically examined the gendered nature of lateral and upward influence attempts. Drawing from gender role theory, we investigated the extent to which the gender of the influence actor affected the use and effectiveness of influence behaviors. The role of a gendered environmental context was also examined. The results provided limited support of gender role theory such that men were more likely to use agentic influence tactics and women were more likely to receive personal advancement outcomes when they used communal influence tactics. Overall, the current work suggests that influence tactics may be gendered in nature such that there may be gender differences in the frequency of use and subsequent outcomes thereof. Recommendations for future research on influence include increased attention to the potentially gendered nature of influence behaviors as well as more explicit considerations of the impact of gender and gendered environment on influence effectiveness.