Ambivalence in the leader–member exchange (LMX) and task performance: the roles of relational energy and exchange ideology

Purpose By drawing on SET and COR as the primary theoretical foundations and incorporating cognitive dissonance theory as a complementary lens, our model explains how ambivalent leader–member exchanges create cognitive dissonance that depletes relational energy and, in turn, undermines task performance, as well as why these effects are contingent on employees' reciprocity orientations. This study examines the moderated mediation of exchange ideology in the indirect relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX) ambivalence and task performance via relational energy. Design/methodology/approach We used multisource, time-lagged data from 163 one-to-one matched supervisor–subordinate dyads in the Republic of Korea Army and tested the hypotheses using hierarchical multiple regression. Findings Our results demonstrated the deleterious impact of LMX ambivalence on task performance via relational energy, providing support for all hypothesized relationships. More importantly, our findings showed that this mediated relationship is contingent on the level of exchange ideology such that the negative influence of LMX ambivalence on task performance via relational energy was strengthened when exchange ideology was high. Practical implications Organizations should implement structured leader–follower alignment practices, such as role clarification and expectation calibration, to improve the quality and consistency of leader–member interactions and reduce LMX ambivalence. Originality/value By adopting SET and COR theory as our primary frameworks, and incorporating cognitive dissonance theory as a complementary lens, this study conceptualizes LMX ambivalence as an active and risky relational state, rather than a neutral coexistence of positive and negative exchanges. By identifying both a relational mechanism (i.e. relational energy), and its relational boundary condition (i.e. exchange ideology), the study advances theory on how ambivalent leader–member dynamics shape employee functioning in organizations.