# The Trickle-Down Effects of Supervisor Regulatory Foci on Newcomer Task Performance

## TL;DR

This paper explores how a supervisor's mindset affects their feedback and, in turn, a new employee's performance.

## Contribution

It introduces a model linking supervisor regulatory foci to newcomer task performance through developmental feedback.

## Key findings

- Supervisor promotion focus is positively linked to developmental feedback.
- Prevention focus is negatively linked to developmental feedback.
- Developmental feedback improves new employee task performance.

## Abstract

Supervisors’ chronic regulatory foci significantly influence their leadership styles and behaviors, with prevention focus and promotion focus exerting distinct impacts on their actions and outcomes. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, we propose a conceptual model that links supervisor promotion focus and supervisor prevention focus to new employee task performance through the mediating role of supervisor developmental feedback. We conducted a matched questionnaire survey involving 253 supervisor–new employee pairs at two time points. The findings indicated that supervisor promotion focus was positively associated with supervisor developmental feedback, whereas supervisor prevention focus was negatively associated with supervisor developmental feedback. Furthermore, supervisor developmental feedback enhanced new employees’ task performance. This study elucidates the trickle-down effects of supervisor promotion focus and supervisor prevention focus and offers practical implications for organizations on effectively managing supervisors with varying regulatory foci.