Leader-Follower (Dis) Similarity in Optimism: Its Effect on Followers’ Role Conflict, Vigor and Performance

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of optimism similarity and dissimilarity between supervisors and subordinates on subordinates’ outcomes. Drawing on optimism literature and the expectancy-value theory, we tested hypotheses regarding the indirect effects of optimism dyadic (dis)similarity on subordinates’ objective job performance through role conflict and vigor at work. Polynomial regressions and response surface analyses were performed using a sample of 556 subordinates matched with 151 supervisors. Results reveal that while similarity tends to prevent role conflict, highly optimistic supervisors are likely to trigger role conflict for less optimistic subordinates, thus reducing their vigor at work and subsequent job performance. These findings provide important contributions to optimism literature, suggesting that supervisors’ optimism may lead to unfavorable outcomes for non-optimistic subordinates and that, in certain cases, non-optimism similarity may be preferable to dissimilarity.