The curvilinear relationship between supervisor negative feedback and subordinate job performance: the role of work concentration and leader-member exchange

Drawing on attention capacity theory, we proposed a nonlinear relationship between supervisor negative feedback and subordinate job performance, while subordinate work concentration will non-linearly mediate, and leader-member exchange (LMX) will moderate, this relationship. Using cross-sectional (N = 234, Study 1) and three-wave data (N = 327, Study 2) from employee-supervisor dyads, we found that supervisor negative feedback had a significant inverted-U relationship with subordinate job performance. Furthermore, subordinate work concentration non-linearly mediated this relationship. Additionally, the results revealed that such curvilinear patterns only exist when LMX was low. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications of our findings were discussed.