Boundary spanning and individual performance: The impact of self-monitoring.

Boundary-spanning positions require occupants to interact with groups whose norms may differ from one another. It was hypothesized that individuals holding these positions would perform better if they were sensitive to social cues and able to adapt their behavior to fit the circumstances. 93 field representatives (average age 30.5 yrs) who acted as boundary spanners were given the Self-Monitoring Scale. Results show that significant relationships existed between job performance and an individual difference variable (self-monitoring) that assessed the ability of respondents to adjust their self-presentation to fit the situation; self-monitoring was most important during the period of early tenure. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)