How Leaders Lift Us Up and Bring Us Down: Relationship Quality With a Leader, Team Dynamics, and Outcomes During a Crisis

We investigate the nature of team members' relationship with their leader, team dynamics, and outcomes during a continuous organisational crisis in a healthcare setting. Leaders (n = 24) and team members (n = 150) completed matched surveys at three hospitals. Individuals who felt they had a stronger relationship with their leader than their teammates (i.e., higher on leader membership exchange (LMX) than their team average), performed better, were less likely to want to leave their job, and were more confident in their team's ability to succeed (i.e., higher team potency). Teams higher on LMX reported fewer turnover intentions, and were more creative. Both individuals' and team's core self-evaluations (CSE) were linked to positive outcomes, including higher team potency amongst teams with higher CSE. For weak leaders (i.e., team-rated low LMX or perceived expertise), individuals' positive CSE were associated with better performance. Implications and future research directions for crisis management are provided.