Scale library · HRM & organizational behavior
LMX-7 scale: Graen & Uhl-Bien (1995)
Leader-member exchange theory holds that leaders build relationships of different quality with each subordinate, from purely contractual exchanges to relationships of mutual trust and support. Graen and Uhl-Bien (1995) reviewed 25 years of research and proposed the LMX-7, a 7-item measure of this relationship quality that either the member or the leader can complete. It is common in theses on satisfaction, engagement, turnover intention, citizenship behavior and job performance.
Cite the original, not the blog.
- Model or scale: LMX-7
- Constructs: 1
- Items: 7
Original English items
Items marked (R) are reverse-coded: recode them before computing reliability or scale scores. Replace bracketed placeholders such as [system] with the name of the system, brand or organization you study.
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX, 7 items)
| Code | Item wording | Reverse-coded |
|---|---|---|
| LMX1 | Do you know where you stand with your leader. Do you usually know how satisfied your leader is with what you do? | No |
| LMX2 | How well does your leader understand your job problems and needs? | No |
| LMX3 | How well does your leader recognize your potential? | No |
| LMX4 | Regardless of how much formal authority he/she has built into his/her position, what are the chances that your leader would use his/her power to help you solve problems in your work? | No |
| LMX5 | Again, regardless of the amount of formal authority your leader has, what are the chances that he/she would “bail you out,” at his/her expense? | No |
| LMX6 | I have enough confidence in my leader that I would defend and justify his/her decision if he/she were not present to do so. | No |
| LMX7 | How would you characterize your working relationship with your leader? | No |
Response scale
5-point scale with labels specific to each question (for example frequency, degree of understanding, likelihood, agreement, effectiveness), following the appendix of Graen and Uhl-Bien (1995). Many later studies use a single 5- or 7-point agreement scale; if you do, say so.
Licence and permission
The questions are published in the appendix of the original article in The Leadership Quarterly and widely used in research; we found no specific terms of use from the authors. Cite the original article.
Sources (APA 7)
- Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 6(2), 219–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/1048-9843(95)90036-5
- Liden, R. C., & Maslyn, J. M. (1998). Multidimensionality of leader-member exchange: An empirical assessment through scale development. Journal of Management, 24(1), 43–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639802400105
Vietnamese translation
A Vietnamese translation of every item, with sample-size advice and studies that used the scale, is on the Vietnamese page for this scale.