The relationship between managerial social power and subordinate job performance has produced mixed empirical results. To investigate the relationship between employees' performance and their perception of managers' social power under favorable and unfavorable climate conditions, an average of 135 city government employees completed two series of questionnaires at 1-month intervals and after an interval of six months. On the first administration, 33 managers and 109 employees completed the questionnaires; during the second administration, 30 managers and 87 employees completed the questionnaires. Employees completed the Bases of Managerial Power Questionnaire and subsections of the Psychological Climate Questionnaire, while managers completed the Rated Employee Performance. An analysis of the results showed that relationships between managerial power and employee performance were positive and stronger under poor job climate conditions. When perceived job climate was favorable, power did not predict performance. Longitudinal results, from data taken at the 6-month interval, demonstrated improved prediction, supporting the hypothesis that attributed social power needs time to be effective. (Author/BL)