Perceived Task- and Relationship-Oriented Leader Behavior on Followers’ Team-Oriented Attitudes

Abstract

The present study is designed to test whether perceptions of leaders’ behaviors impact follower team-oriented attitudes in a domain-specific manner. To address this research question, we conducted two studies. First, we validated a measure of team leadership behavior using an online sample of employed adults. Second, using this measure, we present results from eighty-four newly formed, intensively interdependent, virtual teams of three participants. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions in which a confederate leader engaged in task- or relationship-oriented leadership behavior, or both. Results suggest that perceived task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership behaviors are predictors of perceived leader efficacy, and that perceived task-oriented leadership behavior is a stronger predictor. Perceived task-oriented, but not relationship-oriented leadership behavior, predicted collective efficacy and team satisfaction, and was a stronger predictor of collective efficacy. Our study carries practical and theoretical implications suggesting that formal internal leaders impact follower attitudes toward both the leader and the team as a whole, and within this context, perceived task-oriented leadership behavior is particularly important. Specifically, we argue that the lack of structure in this context (newly formed, intensively interdependent, virtual teams) necessitates leader-driven structure in the form of task-oriented leadership behavior.

Publication Title

Psychological Studies

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