Chapter 8: The Relationship Between Shared Leadership and Team Performance and Satisfaction: Task Type Matters

Teams are commonplace in organizations, and are considered an important part of organizational development initiatives (e.g., Barrick, Stewart, Neubert, & Mount, 1998; Campion, Papper, & Medsker, 1996; De Dreu & Wiengart, 2003; Ilgen, 1999). The amount of autonomy afforded teams varies considerably both within and between organizations (Wellins, Byham, & Wilson, 1991). Thompson (2004) refers to the “team paradox,” such that leaders are often necessary for effective team performance, but their very existence can undermine teamwork. Morgeson (2005) found that teams whose external leaders engaged in active coaching and sense-making activities were less satisfied with leadership than teams with leaders who did not employ active intervention strategies. Supportive coaching and preparation were positively related to team members’ judgments of leader effectiveness in Morgeson’s study. The purpose of the present investigation is to determine whether leadership processes that are shared among group members are positively related to team performance and satisfaction. Furthermore, we seek to determine whether the pattern of relationships between shared leadership dimensions and performance and satisfaction varies by task type.