The Effects of Leadership Style and Team Process on Performance and Innovation in Functionally Heterogeneous Teams

This study focused on leadership style (participative leadership/directive leadership) as a key factor, which has an intervening impact on a functionally heterogeneous team’s process and outcomes. In a study of 136 primary care teams, the author found that in high functionally heterogeneous teams, participative leadership style was positively associated with team reflection, which in turn fostered team innovation; however, this leadership style decreased team in-role performance. The impact of directive leadership was in promoting team reflection under the condition of low functional heterogeneity, whereas no such impact was found under the condition of high functional heterogeneity.