Leadership Styles and their impact on Conflicts; Mediatory Roles of Problem-Solving Behaviors and Dominating Conflict Behaviors among Employees in Pakistan

Abstract

This study examined the interactions among two types of conflict—relationship, and task—and three leadership styles—transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire. The study also examined the mediating roles of employees' problem-solving behavior and dominating conflict behavior. A convenient sample of 382 service sector employees in Pakistan was used. Smart PLS 4 was used for statistical analysis. Results exhibit that transformational leadership positively impacts task conflict whereas laissez-faire leadership effects positively towards relationship and task conflict. However, as far as mediation are concerned, dominating conflict behavior mediates the relationship between laissez-faire leadership style with relationship conflict and task conflict. No direct impact was found by the transformational and transactional leadership towards the relationship and the task conflict, in the same manner, problem-solving behavior and dominating conflict behavior found no mediating impact in the relationship between transformational leadership and transactional leadership towards the relationship and task conflict. However transformational leadership and transactional leadership are found insignificant within both relationship and task conflict. Problem-solving behavior and dominating conflict behaviors found no mediating impact on relationship and task conflict with transformational and transactional leadership styles. This research demonstrates that transformational leadership and laissez-faire leadership enhance task conflict which as a result is a productive sign for the organization with positive outcomes and the organization should take steps to have counseling sessions to reduce the dominating behavior among employees. This research also identifies any limitations of the study and makes suggestions for future research.