Leader values for constructive controversy and team effectiveness in India

Abstract

Leading teams effectively is a challenge for organizations in many countries. This study proposes that leaders who value people, productivity, and participation help teams work effectively and productively by encouraging team members to discuss their diverse views open-mindedly. Working in diverse organizations in India, team leaders indicated their participation, people, and productivity values and team members rated their constructive controversy and their effectiveness and performance. Structural equation analysis suggested that productivity values affect constructive controversy and team effectiveness and productivity. However, contrary to expectations based on the idea that India is a collectivist society, people values were not predictive. The study's findings and previous research were interpreted as suggesting that leader productivity values coupled with constructive controversy provide a foundation for effective teamwork in India.

Keywords:

• controversy
• Indian organizations
• leader values
• teamwork

Acknowledgements

The authors thank their research assistants, Bhupinder Arora and Ann C.Y. Peng, for their able assistance in conducting this study. They also appreciate the financial support of the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, RGC grant project No: LU (3404/05H) to the second author.