PurposePolitical skill is measured with the political skill inventory (PSI), and the construct is composed of four distinct dimensions. Previous validation studies of the PSI found evidence in support of the four‐factor structure, but only using self‐reports. Furthermore, no efforts have been made to also identify a single, higher‐order factor solution through second‐order factor analysis. The present research aims to expand on prior work and report on a two‐study investigation of both the construct validity and antecedents and consequences of the political skill construct.Design/methodology/approachTo test construct validity, Study 1 combined self‐ and other reports of political skill from 467 employees in a confirmatory factor analysis. Study 2 used longitudinal data from 202 employees to constructively replicate Study 1 results and to test hypotheses regarding the antecedents and consequences of political skill.FindingsThe results of Study 1 confirmed both a four‐factor and a single higher‐order factor solution of the political skill construct, thus supporting our hypothesis. Study 2 constructively replicated the Study 1 factorial validity results, and supported hypotheses regarding the dispositional and developmental experience antecedents, career‐related consequences, and mediation of these antecedents and outcomes by political skill.Originality/valueThese two studies test the construct validity of political skill using both self‐ and other‐reports. Further, this is the first research to test the Ferris et al. conceptualization of political skill, by examining its antecedents, consequences, and mediation of the antecedents‐consequences relationships.

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Recent work in the area of performance prediction modeling has demonstrated this sequencing of distal to proximal constructs as influences on POLITICAL SKILL AND JOB PERFORMANCE 489 performance and effectiveness. Zaccaro, Kemp, and Bader (2004) proposed a model that included cognitive abilities and personality as distal antecedents; social effectiveness and appraisal skills as more proximal antecedents; and performance and effectiveness as criteria. This distal-to-proximal approach demonstrates increasing influence on our understanding of performance prediction, and it is the general conceptualization that drives the present two-study investigation.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to determine whether political skill is equally effective in its prediction of job performance for different job demands. Design/methodology/approach -This paper uses self-report sources of employee performance and self-report of political skill after several weeks along with three ratings of target individuals' job demands. Findings -Results support the hypothesis that Holland's enterprising category (i.e. because of its job demands and requisite job competencies to be effective) will moderate the relationship between political skill and job performance, demonstrating stronger predictability under high enterprising job demands.Research limitations/implications -The present results suggest that political skill is a better predictor of job performance under situations of high enterprising job demands than under conditions of low enterprising job demands. Furthermore, social and conventional job demands do not significantly moderate the political skill-job performance relationships, implying that these job demands act as an important boundary condition. Practical implications -Politically skilled individuals are more likely to succeed in environments (e.g. enterprising jobs) where they have the opportunity to exercise interpersonal influence, and where that interpersonal influence is directly related to their performance. Originality/value -This paper makes several contributions to theory and practice in vocational achievement and political skill. Perhaps, most significant is the identification of job demands as a boundary condition in the political skill-job performance relationship.

In a two-study investigation, the construct and criterion-related validities of the Test of Emotional Intelligence, an ability-based measure of emotional reasoning skills, were examined. In Study 1, as hypothesized, emotional reasoning skills were related to emotion recognition ability (i.e., as measured by Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy), emotional empathy, and three measures of successful social functioning (i.e., social astuteness, interpersonal influence, and apparent sincerity) assessed by peers, after controlling for personality and occupational environment characteristics. In Study 2, results from a predictive validation study demonstrated that Emotional Intelligence explained additional variance in overall job performance ratings beyond general mental ability and personality traits. Contributions and implications of this research investigation, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.