Supportive Behaviours and Team Effectiveness: The mediating role of Team Learning Behaviours

Abstract

Supportive behaviours, defined “as the extent to which team members voluntarily provide assistance to each other when needed during task accomplishment” (Aubé & Rousseau, 2005, p.193), constitute a determinant of Team Effectiveness (Dimas, Rocha, Rebelo, & Lourenço, 2016). The current research aims to clarify further the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and Team Effectiveness criteria, mediated by Team Learning Behaviours. Based on the model of effectiveness Input-Mediator-Outcome-Input (IMOI) from Kozlowski and Ilgen (2006), the Supportive Behaviours are viewed as an antecedent (input) of Team Effectiveness, where its impact on the results is achieved through the relationship with intervening or mediating variables, which may constitute team processes or emergent team states. To evaluate effectiveness were considered the following criteria proposed by Aubé and Rousseau (2005), and Rousseau and Aubé (2010): performance, viability, quality of group experience and team processes improvement.The sample was made up of 535 participants from 90 teams (N = 445 team members, N = 90 team leaders), working in 40 Portuguese organisations from different sectors and areas of activity. The measures for data collection used were Portuguese adaptations of Team Effectiveness Measures, Team Learning Behaviors’ Instrument, and Supportive Behaviours Scale. Results revealed that Team Learning Behaviours partially mediates the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and team performance and totally mediates the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and viability.The present study highlights the importance of Supportive Behaviours and Team Learning Behaviours on four criteria of Team Effectiveness.

Supportive behaviours, defined “as the extent to which team members voluntarily provide assistance to each other when needed during task accomplishment” (Aubé & Rousseau, 2005, p.193), constitute a determinant of Team Effectiveness (Dimas, Rocha, Rebelo, & Lourenço, 2016). The current research aims to clarify further the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and Team Effectiveness criteria, mediated by Team Learning Behaviours. Based on the model of effectiveness Input-Mediator-Outcome-Input (IMOI) from Kozlowski and Ilgen (2006), the Supportive Behaviours are viewed as an antecedent (input) of Team Effectiveness, where its impact on the results is achieved through the relationship with intervening or mediating variables, which may constitute team processes or emergent team states. To evaluate effectiveness were considered the following criteria proposed by Aubé and Rousseau (2005), and Rousseau and Aubé (2010): performance, viability, quality of group experience and team processes improvement.The sample was made up of 535 participants from 90 teams (N = 445 team members, N = 90 team leaders), working in 40 Portuguese organisations from different sectors and areas of activity. The measures for data collection used were Portuguese adaptations of Team Effectiveness Measures, Team Learning Behaviors’ Instrument, and Supportive Behaviours Scale. Results revealed that Team Learning Behaviours partially mediates the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and team performance and totally mediates the relationship between Supportive Behaviours and viability.The present study highlights the importance of Supportive Behaviours and Team Learning Behaviours on four criteria of Team Effectiveness.