Forbearance in leadership: Opportunities and risks involved in cutting followers some slack

The concept of forbearance in leadership is introduced as an explanation for certain managerial behavior which, despite a superficial appearance of mere leniency, plays an important role in preserving the social fabric of the workplace. A conceptual grounding based on Social Exchange Theory and the managerial stewardship literature is presented, and four categories of forbearance are identified. To apply the concept, the conclusions of an important series of articles on performance appraisal are reconsidered in forbearance terms, rather than from their original political deviance perspective. Opportunities and risks associated with practicing forbearance are described, and theoretical assertions in the form of research propositions are offered.