Dual-level transformational leadership and team information elaboration: The mediating role of relationship conflict and moderating role of middle way thinking

Abstract

Transformational leadership studies identify a dual-level model comprising group-focused and individual-focused transformational leadership. In this study, a relational perspective is used to develop a moderated mediation model linking dual-level transformational leadership to within-team information elaboration. Data collected from 100 teams in 32 Chinese high-technology firms reveal that group-focused transformational leadership increases information elaboration, while differentiated individual-focused transformational leadership decreases information elaboration. Team relationship conflict mediates the effects. Furthermore, middle-way thinking as a culture-specific Chinese thinking style moderates the indirect effects. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.