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

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.