A Biological Perspective to Leadership and Team Processes

Abstract

Although leadership and team processes are among the most studied topics in management, there is a growing concern over both theoretical and methodological aspects of their conceptualization and measurement. In this symposium, we highlight the potential of biological and neuroscience techniques to begin to address these limitations by extending theory and offering new methodologies. For instance, the presenters will offer research that extends work on leadership and team emergent/contagion processes by focusing on neurological and physiological synchrony. Another goal of this symposium would be to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing biological/neuroscience tools in the study of other areas of management beyond leadership and team processes. Each of the presentations in this symposium will focus on different constructs and biological methodologies. Beginning with Danni Wang and colleagues who will highlight the assessment of team emergent processes using quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG); Nir Milstein, Ilanit Gordon, and Steve Blader who will demonstrate the role of physiological synchrony in explaining the effects of interactional justice on team outcomes; Yair Berson and Avi Goldstein will present experimental findings from magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanner revealing the effects of visionary leadership on neurological synchrony; Joel Andrus and David Sullivan will approach gender biases in entrepreneurship via EEG and galvanic skin response (GSR) techniques; and Sean Hannah, who will report on research conducted to assess ethical leadership through EEG. Finally, Neal Ashkanasy will discuss these presentations emphasizing both advantages and disadvantages of these research practices and their utilization in our field. Capturing Team Dynamics with Neuroscience Presenter: Danni Wang; Rutgers Business School Presenter: Pierre Balthazard; California State U. Sacramento Presenter: Maja Maja; Microsoft Presenter: Nicola M. Pless; ESADE Presenter: Thomas Maak; U. of Melbourne Presenter: Chris Berka; Advanced Brain Monitoring Presenter: Travis Richardson; Arizona State U. The Role of Physiological/Behavioral Synchrony in Mediating the Effects of Justice on Group Outcomes Presenter: Nir Milstein; Bar-Ilan U. Presenter: Steven Blader; New York U. Presenter: Ilanit Gordon; Bar Ilan U. The Effects of Visionary Leadership on Followers’ Neurological Presenter: Yair Berson; Bar-Ilan U. and NYU-Stern Presenter: Abraham Goldstein; Bar Ilan U. Making the Glass Ceiling: Unconscious Gender Biases on Entrepreneurial Funding Decisions Presenter: Joel Andrus; U. of Missouri Presenter: David Walter Sullivan; Texas A&M U. Lesson-Learned from a Neuroscience Journey Presenter: Sean Hannah; Wake Forest U.