Team Self-Managing Behaviors and Team Effectiveness: The Moderating Effect of Task Routineness

Abstract

This study investigates the role of team members’ self-managing behaviors in regard to three dimensions of team effectiveness. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating effect of task routineness on these relationships. The sample consists of 97 work teams (341 members and 97 immediate supervisors) drawn from a public safety organization. Results show that team self-managing behaviors are positively related to team performance, team viability, and team process improvement. Results also indicate that task routineness moderates the relationships that team self-managing behaviors have with team performance and team viability such that these relationships are stronger when the level of task routineness is low. However, this moderating effect is not significant in regard to the relationship between team self-managing behaviors and team process improvement. Taken together, these findings suggest that emphasis on team self-managing behaviors may enhance team effectiveness, but this enhancement effect is contingent on task routineness.