Journal of Vocational Behavior 77 (2010) 383390

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Vocational Behavior

j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / j v b

The impact of political skill on career success of employees' representatives

Gerhard Blickle a,, Katharina Oerder a, James K. Summers b
a
b

University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Bradley University, Peoria, IL, United States

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 21 January 2010
Available online 27 May 2010
Keywords:
Political skill
Career success
Employees' representatives

a b s t r a c t
Works councillors are elected representatives of employees in German companies. It is their job
to protect and bargain the interests of the employees with the company. We investigated the
impact of 558 works councillors' individual political skill on their career success, where career
ascendancy is based on success in upward elections and not on appointments by supervisors.
The participants were from core German industries mostly working in large companies. We
found that the stronger works councillors' political skill the more successful they were in their
career still after controlling for sex, age, and union membership. Implications and limitations of
the study and consequences for future research are discussed.
2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The political perspective depicts organizations as political arenas, characterized by negotiation, bargaining, deal making, favour
exchange, and alliance-building as the way things get done (Vigoda-Gadot & Drory, 2006). Due to the political nature of
organizations, one's ability to navigate this arena effectively should ultimately result in a successful career, given the individual
possesses the right tools. In fact, Mintzberg (1983) and Pfeffer (1981) both alluded to the fact that, to be successful in the political
environment of organizations, individuals must possess political skill.
Drawing from this earlier work, Ferris and his colleagues developed a program of research on political skill, which they have
dened as the ability to effectively understand others at work, and use such knowledge to inuence others to act in ways that
enhance one's personal and/or organizational objectives (Ferris, Davidson, & Perrew, 2005; Ferris et al., 2005, p. 127). Recent
research has provided strong evidence for the construct- and criterion-related validity of the political skill construct (e.g., Blickle
et al., in press; Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris et al., 2007, 2008; Harvey, Harris, Harris, &
Wheeler, 2007; Liu et al., 2007; Perrew et al., 2004; Semadar, Robbins, & Ferris, 2006).
However, previous research on political skill has focused primarily on employees and managers but has not investigated the
effects of political skill on career success of political roles within organizations. In the political perspective on organizations, works
councils can play an important role (Butcher & Clarke, 2006). A works council is a representative body of employees within an
organization, which in most European countries has legal status and cannot be avoided or dissolved by employers. The works
council hears grievances, ensures that the employer is complying with all labour laws and collective bargaining agreements, and
bargains with the employer over personnel and social matters (e.g., hiring, transfer, dismissal, vacations, hours of work, and plant
rules; Werner, Knig, Bennett, & Scott-Leuteritz, 2004). The job of works councillors is intrinsically political, as they represent,
dene, protect, and enlarge the interests of employees in organizations (Mintzberg, 1983). Moreover, Rousseau and Fried (2001)
as well as Johns (2006) have argued for theorizing and investigating more contextual facets of organizational phenomenon.
Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to assess political skill of works councillors and to investigate the relationships
between works councillors' political skill and their career success.
The present study contributes to extant literature in several ways. This is the rst study on individual employees'
representatives' political skill. It is important because the works councillor's job is fundamentally political. Traditional research on

Corresponding author. Arbeits-, Organisations- und Wirtschaftspsychologie, Institut fuer Psychologie, Universitaet Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111 Bonn,
Germany. Fax: +49 228 734670.
E-mail address: gerhard.blickle@uni-bonn.de (G. Blickle).
0001-8791/$ see front matter 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.05.007

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G. Blickle et al. / Journal of Vocational Behavior 77 (2010) 383390

employees' political representatives in organizations has focused on the collective efforts of employees' representative bodies to
advance their interests in organizations (e.g., Peterson, Lee, & Finnegan, 1992). Only recently has the focus on the collective efforts
been supplemented by an additional focus on individual representation of employees' interests (Hammer, Bayazit, & Wazeter,
2009). The factors inuencing the success of the promotion of employees' interests in organizations are often structural, as laws on
labor relations, the resources at hand, the climate of solidarity among employees in an organization, and employers' vulnerability
often affect their advancement (Ferguson, 2008; Godard, 2009). However, we suggest that the political skill of the individual
works councillor also has a crucial impact on the success of advancing the interests of the employees in organizations collectively
(Hogan, 2007). Finally, traditionally there has been an indifference of psychology toward organized labor representatives (Zickar,
1984). Therefore, it is the purpose of this study to also contribute to the investigation of factors advancing or inhibiting employees'
interests in organizations.
Institutional and theoretical background
Job and career path of works councillors
Under the German laws on labour relations in the workplace, a works council has to be established in all companies employing
more than ve adult employees. The members of the works council are elected by the whole work force, and the works council's
rights and duties are specied by law (Werner et al., 2004). The number of members in a works council varies depending on the
number of employees in the company. In the following, we report on the essential features of works councils in Germany (Page,
2009).
The works council elects a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its numbers. If the works council consists of more
than nine members, a works committee must be formed within its ranks to deal with the day-to-day business. Works council
meetings normally take place during working hours, and the employer may only attend if specically invited. Members of the
works council are paid their normal remuneration for time spent undertaking works council business.
The works council has the right to information. The company must supply comprehensive information on working procedures and
operations, manpower planning, in recruitment, and transfers. The works council must supervise the legal and equitable treatment of
all employees and must be consulted before every dismissal, where the employer informs the works council for the reasons of the
dismissal. The works council has the right to veto in personnel measures, to negotiate the order of the establishment and employee
conduct, working time and breaks, time, place, and payment form of remuneration, principles of leave arrangements, the introduction
and use of technical devices, the protection of health and accident prevention, and the xing of job and bonus rates. If the employer and
the works council do not reach an agreement, the matter is transferred to the conciliation committee. The conciliation committee is
composed of assessors appointed in equal numbers by the works council and the employer and of an independent chairperson
accepted by both sides. Decisions are adopted by a majority vote.
It is neither the right of the works council to initiate collective bargaining over wages and working conditions at the company
level nor to enforce its claims by work lay downs and strikes. Collective bargaining is done at the industry level by the labour
unions. Members of the works council often belong to a certain labour union; however, union membership is not essential.
Job of works councillors
Depending on the size of the company, the members of the works council are partially or completely released from their other
job duties and work solely in the works council job. The works councillors responsibilities primarily consist of the following
(Hammer et al., 2009): inform employees about their rights, solicit information from employees about their needs and concerns,
counsel them about work related problems, help employees solve conicts between employees, with their supervisors, the
company, and/or between different groups of employees. They build external political support for the works council, monitor
administrative reports of the company, create future bargaining goals, prepare for negotiation with the employer, mobilize
support for their goals by employees and external stakeholders, and impose pressure on the employer to enforce their goals.
Career path of works councillors
Each plant/establishment of a company has a separate works council, which is elected directly by the members of the plant's
work force. If a company has more than one plant, then members from each plant's works council are elected to a central works
council. Depending on the size of the plant, the works council elects one or two of its members to the central works council. In a
group of combined companies, a group works council is established. Each central works council elects one or two members of the
group works council, depending on the size of the combined companies. If a company has plants in several European countries, the
central works council in each country elects members to the European works council of that company. Additionally, in large
companies with 10,000 employees or more, the work force elects representatives of the employees to the supervisory board of the
company. In the German system of industrial co-determination, the supervisory board consists of a chairman and an equal number
of shareholder and employee representatives. These elected employee representatives either can be works councillors from inside
the company or union members from outside the company. Thus, a successful member of the works council at the plant/
establishment level can become, at the same time, an elected member of the central works council, groups work council, European
works council, and the supervisory board of his own company or to the supervisory board of another company, if she or he is a labor
union member.

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385

Psychological background of works councillors' job

Holland (1973, 1997) theory of work environments commonly is regarded as one of the most inuential occupational
taxonomies in vocational psychology (e.g., McDaniel & Snell, 1999). It has received widespread empirical and scientic support
(Gottfredson, 1980; McDaniel & Snell, 1999; Tracey & Rounds, 1993). Fundamental to Holland's theory is the notion that work
environments can be meaningfully categorized into six types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, conventional, and enterprising.
Enterprising job demands are characterized by tasks such as speaking on behalf of a group, organizing meetings, leading
discussions, leading a group, bargaining, advertising or making propaganda, selling, supervising, and persuading others
(Bergmann & Eder, 1992). Examples of enterprising jobs include business, publicity, advertising executives, and salespersons
(Holland, 1997). Thus, the job of a works councillor can be classied in the enterprising category.
Enterprising jobs place a premium on verbal facility used to direct or persuade other people. They require extensive speaking
and listening, as the ability to relate to a wide range of individuals across a variety of situations is imperative to success.
Furthermore, the ability to accurately perceive the motives of others in order to lead and persuade is critical (Holland, 1973).
Because enterprising work environments are full of uncertainty and ambiguity, an emphasis is placed on interpersonal competency
(Holland, 1976).
Political skill is a recently developed construct of interpersonal competency, which is dened as the ability to effectively
understand others at work and to use such knowledge to inuence others to act in ways that enhance one's personal and/or
organizational objectives (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005, p. 127). Accordingly, Blickle, Kramer, et al.
(2009) found empirical evidence that Holland's enterprising category moderated the relationship between political skill and job
performance demonstrating stronger predictability by political skill under high enterprising job demands.
Political skill combines social understanding with the ability to adjust behavior to the demands of the situation in ways that
inspire trust, condence, and support, to appear genuine, and to effectively inuence others (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris,
Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris et al., 2007). Political skill is a multi-dimensional construct composed of four distinct factors. First,
social astuteness describes individuals who are socially astute have a high degree of self-awareness and discernment in social
settings (Ferris, Davidson, & Perrew, 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005). This characteristic is similar to what Pfeffer (1992)
referred to as being sensitive to others.
Second, interpersonal inuence concerns the ability to have a powerful effect on those with whom one works. Persons who are
high on interpersonal inuence have a profound ability to persuade others and can adapt this skill to different targets of inuence
attempts. Pfeffer (1992) labelled this exibility, and those with a greater degree of interpersonal inuence can strategically
modify their behavior to different persons in different settings.
Third, persons who are high on networking ability are able to successfully build an effective and advantageous partnership with
others at work. They maintain networks with a large and diverse set of inuential contacts that can be utilized to assist in achieving
objectives. Networking ability has been found to be the strongest predictor (i.e., of the four PSI dimensions) of the inuence tactics
of upward appeal, coalitions, and assertiveness (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005).
Finally, apparent sincerity concerns possessing or appearing to possess authenticity, genuineness, and integrity. Persons high on
apparent sincerity are more likely to gain the trust and support of their co workers as they engage in inuence attempts. Of the four
dimensions of the PSI, it is apparent sincerity that best addresses the potential for successful inuence. If the target believes that the
actor has ulterior motives or is being dishonest, then attempts to persuade are much less likely to be effective (Jones, 1990).
The dimensions of political skill are measured by the Political Skill Inventory (PSI) (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway,
et al., 2005). Recent research has provided strong evidence for the construct validity (e.g., Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris et al.,
2007, 2008; Liu et al., 2007) of political skill. Political skill also is associated with early employees' reputation, income, hierarchical
position, and career satisfaction (Ferris et al., 2008, Blickle, Schneider, Liu, & Ferris, in press).
Hypothesis
Careers have been characterized by a person's upward occupational movement via a series of positions that require greater
mastery and responsibility (for a comprehensive discussion of recent career concepts, see Inkson, 2004; Perlmutter & Hall, 1992).
Career success, then, can be dened as the real or perceived achievements accumulated by individuals as a result of their work
experiences (Judge, Higgins, Thoresen, & Barrick, 1999). Career success has been actively investigated for years and found to be
determined by not only many traditional factors, including job-related skills and performance record, but also by networking,
politics, and social effectiveness competencies (for a recent review, see Ng, Eby, Sorensen, & Feldman, 2005).
Viewed through the lens of organizational politics, careers can be seen as political campaigns (Inkson, 2004), involving contact
hunting (Granovetter, 1974), self-promotion (Higgins, Judge, & Ferris, 2003), impression management (Bolino & Turnley, 2003), and
use of inuence tactics (Judge & Bretz, 1994). Political skill can be regarded as even more critical in a vocational context (i.e., works
councillors) where the rise from one position to the next is based on upward elections and not on appointments by a supervisor.
Politically skilled individuals possess social competencies that enhance their personal and/or organizational goals through their
understanding and inuence of others during social interactions (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris
et al., 2007). The social astuteness of politically skilled individuals affords them a keen awareness of both self and others, giving
them the capacity to calibrate and adjust their behavior to different and changing contexts. This astuteness and contextual
adaptability allow politically skilled individuals to wield a great deal of interpersonal inuence because their inuence attempts
are not perceived as such. Instead, they appear to possess high levels of genuineness and integrity, which helps them to gain the

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trust and condence of those with whom they interact. This set of mutually reinforcing competencies allows politically skilled
individuals to develop large and diverse networks, which they can leverage for additional inuence (Ferris et al., 2007).
Even though political skill has been identied as a necessary competency for effectiveness in daily work (Mintzberg, 1983) and
a robust predictor of career success (Blickle, Witzki & Schneider, 2009; Ferris et al., 2008; Wolff & Moser, 2009), Holland's (1973)
theory would suggest that the particular context within which political skill is exhibited might affect its predictability. Results by
Blickle, Witzki, et al. (2009) supported this hypothesis that Holland's enterprising category (i.e., because of its job and career
demands and requisite competencies to be effective) would moderate the relationship between political skill and success,
demonstrating stronger predictability under high enterprising context demands than in other types of work environments.
In a different vein, political skill attenuates the negative inuence of social stressors on job satisfaction, somatic wellbeing, and
blood pressure (Harvey et al., 2007; Perrew et al., 2004). This is especially important for the job of works councillors because
previous research has demonstrated that employees' representatives are more likely stress candidates (Nandram & Klandermans,
1993). Taken together, works councillors career success is based on elections and should be enhanced by their ability to leverage
social networks, achieve individual and organizational goals, effectively inuence others (Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris,
Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris et al., 2007), and manage social stressors (Harvey et al., 2007; Perrew et al., 2004).
Hypothesis. Political skill among works councillors is positively associated with career success in the career path of works
councillors.
Plan of the research
Works councillors were contacted and invited to participate in our study with the help of the research foundation (Hans
Bckler Stiftung) of the Confederation of the German Trade Unions. They were offered individual feedback on their social
competencies in return for their participation in the study. Works councillors were asked to provide self-reports on their political
skill and report on the size of their plant/establishment, company, and/or group of companies, in which councils (plant council,
central works council, group works council, European works council, and/or supervisory board) they were members and which
functions they had (deputy-member, member, deputy-chairperson, chairperson) in the respective council or board. Additionally,
they were asked to report on their sex, age, and whether they are member of a union or not.
The works councillors were asked to use a specic link in order to visit our website and were provided with a randomly generated
individual code. They were promised to receive feedback on the research results and were provided with the feedback at the end of the
study. Additionally, works councillors received feedback on their social skills. No other incentives were used. Hierarchical multiple
regression analyses (Cohen, Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2003) were conducted to examine the role of political skill as predictor of career
success beyond controls such as sex, age, and union membership.
Methods
Participants and procedure
The link where the online survey was hosted was contacted in 1435 cases. Of these, 558 provided information on their political skill,
memberships in the councils at different levels, namely plant, company, group, and European level, union membership, sex, and age.
Of the participating works councillors, 360 were males (64.5%). The mean age of the sample was 47.3 years (SD = 8.55 years)
ranging between 22 and 64 years. The majority (n = 461) was member of a union (82.6%). They had the following functions in
plant/establishment works council: 205 were chairperson (36.7%), 87 were deputy-chairperson (15.6%), 50 were member of the
works committee (9%), and 216 were simple member of the works council (38.7%).
In the information and telecommunication industry were 206, in the chemical industry were 71, in the metalworking and
electrical industry were 60, in the service industry were 37, in the banking industry were 27, in the trading industry were 21, in the
energy industry were 17, in the transportation and logistics industry were 17, in the public administration were 11, in the health
care industry were 11, and in the educational services were 11 works councillors active. The remainder worked in other industries.
Of the works councillors, 52 worked in establishments with more than 5,000 employees, 38 in establishments with between 5,000
and 2,500 employees, 124 in establishments with between 2,499 and 1,000 employees, 107 in establishments with between 999 and
500 employees, 108 in establishments with between 499 and 250 employees, and 129 worked in establishments with below 250
employees. At the company level, most work councillors (n = 271) worked in companies with more than 10,000 employees. In sum,
the participants of our study were from core German industries and predominantly were active in large companies.
Measures
Political skill
The German version (Blickle et al., 2008) of the Political Skill Inventory (PSI) was used to assess self-reported political skill
(Ferris, Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005). The PSI is comprised of 18 items and uses a 7-point Likert-type scale
that ranges between 1 = low and 7 = high. Sample items include I spend a lot of time and effort at work networking with others,
I am able to make most people feel comfortable and at ease around me, I am particularly good at sensing the motivations and
hidden agendas of others, and I try to show a genuine interest in other people. Recent research has reported strong associations

G. Blickle et al. / Journal of Vocational Behavior 77 (2010) 383390

387

between employee self-reports of political skill and peer reports, subordinate reports, and supervisor reports (Ferris et al., 2008).
The Cronbach alpha reliability for this composite scale was = .87. Cronbach alphas of the facet scales varied between
.67 .84.
Works councillors' career success
Each works council position received in the scoring a certain number of points reecting the importance of the position in the council.
Depending on the size of the plant or the company, the number of council members varies. Therefore, additionally the size of the plant/
establishment and the size of the company were also included in the scoring. The scoring was done in the following way: plant/
establishment works council (chairperson=4 points, deputy-chairperson=3 points, member of the works committee=2 points, simple
member of the works council =1 point); central works council (chairperson=6 points, deputy-chairperson=5 points, member of the
works committee=4 points, simple member of the central works council=3 points, deputy-member of the central works council=2
points, no member of the central works council =1 point); groups works council (chairperson=6 points, deputy-chairperson=5 points,
member of the works committee=4 points, simple member of the groups works council =3 points, deputy-member of the groups works
council=2 points, no member of the groups works council=1 point); European works council (chairperson=6 points, no member of
the European works council=1 point); supervisory board (deputy-chairperson=5 points, member of the works committee=4 points;
simple member of the supervisory board=3 points, deputy-member of the supervisory board=2 points, no member of the supervisory
board=1 point); plant/establishment size (more than 5,000 employees=6 points, between 5,000 and 2,500 employees=5 points,
between 2,499 and 1,000 employees=4 points, between 999 and 500 employees=3 points; between 499 and 250 employees=2
points, and below 250 employees=1 point); and company size (more than 10,000 employees=7 points, between 10,000 and 5,000
employees=6 points, between 4,999 and 2,500 employees=5 points, between 2,499 and 1,000 employees=4 points; between 999 and
500 employees=3 points, between 499 and below 250 employees=2 points, below 250 employees=1 point).
These score points were summed for each works councillor. Thus, the works councillors' career success score could vary
between 7 points at minimum, and 40 points at maximum.
Control variables
Because previous research has demonstrated that sex (Bowen, Swim, & Jacobs, 2000) and age (Waldmann & Avolio, 1986)
affect career success and job performance (Ng et al., 2005), these variables were controlled in the data analyses. Additionally, we
controlled for union membership as proxy for works councillors' social capital (Ng et al., 2005; Seibert, Kraimer, & Liden, 2001).
Data analyses
Hierarchical multiple regression analyses (Cohen et al., 2003) were conducted to examine the role of political skill as predictor
of career success. When the career success score was the dependent variable, works councillors' sex, age, and union membership
were entered in the rst step as control variables. In the second step, the political skill score was entered.
Results
Zero-order correlations
Table 1 reports the means, standard deviations, correlations, and coefcient alpha () reliability estimates for all variables.
There were 558 data sets to test the hypothesis. Career success (i.e., positions simultaneously held in different works councils at
different levels and the supervisory board) correlated positively with political skill and its facets. This supports with the

Table 1
Means, standard deviations, coefcient alpha reliabilities, and correlations of all variables.

1. Sex
2. Age
3. Union membership
4. Tar. Funct. in WC
5. PSI
6. SA
7. II
8. NA
9. AS
10. Career success

SD

558
558
558
558
558
558
558
558
558
558

1.35
47.27
1.83
2.5
5.55
5.35
5.60
5.36
6.18
23.28

.48
8.55
.38
1.33
.72
.83
.83
.94
.88
5.17

1.
.10
.00
.14
.00
.05
.03
.05
.01
.11

2.

.05
.21
.10
.11
.02
.14
.09
.18

3.

4.

.17
.05
.02
.03
.07
.06
.10

.12
.10
.05
.13
.05
.43

5.

(.87)
.86
.75
.87
.58
.25

6.

(.74)
.60
.64
.41
.19

7.

(.67)
.51
.39
.14

8.

(.84)
.36
.25

9.

(.76)
.17

10.

.05

Note. Sex: 1 = male, 2 = female; Tar. Funct. in WC = target function in works council; PSI = Political Skill Inventory; SA = social astuteness; II = interpersonal
inuence, NA = networking ability; AS = apparent sincerity.
p b .05.
p b .01.

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G. Blickle et al. / Journal of Vocational Behavior 77 (2010) 383390

hypothesis. Additionally, the position in the plant/establishment works council, age, and union membership also positively
correlated with career success, and sex negatively correlated with career success (i.e., women were less successful than men).

Hierarchical regression of career success on political skill

As Table 1 shows, career success not only correlated with political skill but also with some other variables. Therefore, we tested
the hypothesis more comprehensively by also including sex, age, and works councillor's union membership as controls in a
hierarchical regression analysis. As Table 2 shows, the hierarchical regression analysis also conrmed the hypothesis.
Political skill predicted career success also when controlling for sex, age, and union membership. Additionally, we analyzed the
different facets of political skill as predictor of career success and found that all facets predicted career success also when controlling for
sex, age, and union membership. We did not control for works councillor's function because this was part of the criterion. Yet, when we
entered this variable as a control the effects of political skill were even stronger.

Discussion
The occupation of works councillors is largely a political job. Works councillors help employees solve conicts with supervisors
and their organization. They build external support for the works council and mobilize employee support for their goals (Hammer
et al., 2009). In addition, because their careers are based on elections, they can be viewed as political campaigns, involving contact
hunting, self-promotion, impression management, and use of inuence tactics (Inkson, 2004). The present study researched, for
the rst time, the relationships between employees' representatives' in the company (i.e., works councillors') political skill, and
their career success. The present ndings strongly supported the hypothesis that the stronger works councillors' political skill the
more successful they were in their career.

Theoretical implications and direction for future research

Career success in enterprising environments depends critically on individual competencies, such as political skill, which enable
the effective management and projection of positive impressions across different stakeholders (Liu et al., 2007). The present
ndings supported the idea that given conditions of uncertainty and ambiguity, political skill becomes more relevant. The political
skill construct refers neither to ability nor to personality traits, but to individual skill which can be shaped and formed by the
interaction of the individual with his or her work environment, and through work experience, mentoring, and training (Ferris,
Davidson, et al., 2005; Ferris, Treadway, et al., 2005; Ferris et al., 2007, 2008). However, political skill training is still lacking in
organizations.
Future research should not only investigate the effects of works councillors' political skill on the objective improvement on
employees' welfare and working conditions in the company but also on employees perception of works councils' instrumentality,
their commitment to the works council, and their active support of the works council (Hammer et al., 2009).
Another consideration is the cultural and institutional context of our study. Previous empirical research (e.g., Hofstede, 1984)
has shown that the German and the United States cultures share a number of important features in the work context (i.e., high
masculinity and low power distance) and differ somewhat on others (i.e., uncertainty avoidance and individualism). However,
because these are not dramatic differences between the two, we do not assume differential effects between the United States and
German cultures in the working world regarding issues of individual political inuence in organizations. That said, the institutional
and legal context concerning the rights of employee representatives vary signicantly between the United States and Germany.
Nevertheless, the common denominator for all employee representatives is the effort to improve employment conditions. As this is
by denition a political job, future research should investigate the impact of political skill on employees' representatives under
different national, institutional, and legal contexts.
Table 2
Hierarchical regression analysis on career success.
Predictors

Criterion variable = Career success

Block
1

Age
Sex
Union membership
Political skill

Note. N = 558; sex: 1 = male, 2 = female.

p b .05.
p b .01.

.18
.10*
.11
.24

R2

R2

.058

.058

.056

.114

G. Blickle et al. / Journal of Vocational Behavior 77 (2010) 383390

389

Strength and limitations

For the rst time, the consequences of political skill on career success were investigated in a fundamentally political job, where
career ascendancy is based on success in upward elections. The sample also was large and the participants were from core German
industries mostly working within large companies. All of the works councillors were active under the same legal regulations. Thus,
the sample certainly represents the features of works councillors very well, thus providing generalizability.
Third, the study combined self-assessment data (political skill) and objective career data (simultaneous membership in works
councils at different levels). Fourth, by controlling for works councillors' sex, age, and union membership, the study provided a
more complete picture of the effects of political skill and excluded at the same time extraneous factors. Fifth, the study was rmly
grounded in theory, combining Holland's theory (1973, 1997) of work environments and theory and research on political skill in
workplace careers by Ferris, Davidson, et al. (2005), Ferris, Treadway, et al. (2005), and Ferris et al. (2007).
One limitation of our study is that we used self-reports of career success instead of archival data about council memberships.
However, the information on their membership and functions in different works councils was very salient for the works
councillors and the categories of the number of employees in the establishment and company were very broad. Thus, it was easy
for the works councillors to remember and report them correctly. In addition, self-reports of objective data have been shown to
correlate highly with archival company records in other studies (Blickle, Wendel, & Ferris, 2010; Judge, Cable, Boudreau, & Bretz,
1995; Turban & Dougherty, 1994). Another limitation of the present study is that it was cross-sectional, thus precluding causal
inferences from being drawn.
Conclusion
For the rst time, the consequences of political skill on career success were investigated in a job context which is essentially
political. We found that the stronger works councillors' political skill, the more successful they were in their career. Developing a
training of political skill for works councillors and further delineation of political skill and their relationship with objective job
outcomes of works councillors seems to be a promising avenue for future investigation.
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