How transformational leadership shapes team proactivity: the mediating role of positive affective tone and the moderating role of team task variety

The authors examine how and when transformational leadership can contribute to team proactivity. Drawing on the affect-as-resources perspective, they propose that transformational leadership will contribute to team proactivity by cultivating positive group affective tone within teams. They further indicate that the function of positive group affective tone in shaping team proactivity will be stronger when team task variety is higher. These hypotheses were supported by results based on 76 teams in the same organization. The results reveal that the mediation effect of positive group affective tone on the association between transformational leadership and team proactivity is stronger when team task variety is high rather than low. This investigation contributes to the literature by suggesting how to promote proactivity at a team level.