Leadership Style as a Moderator of Interpersonal Conflict in Culturally Heterogeneous Project Teams

Multinational culturally heterogeneous teams experience increased levels of intragroup conflict. Leadership style implemented by the team leader, as defined by the full-range leadership model provides a means of effecting intragroup conflict. A quantitative research design was used by conducting an online survey of Project Management Institute certified project managers. The purpose of the survey was to determine the extent to which intragroup conflict existed within a multinational culturally heterogeneous team and the leadership style used. Intragroup conflict was measured using Jehn’s Intragroup Conflict Scale while leadership style was measured using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5X Short-Form. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between two of the transformational leadership dimensions, idealized influence and inspirational motivation, and the perception of relationship conflict. In addition, a statistically significant negative correlation existed between the management-by-exception active type of transactional leadership style and task conflict.