Abstract

Purpose In a dynamic, complex environment, a leader needs to be able to take a backseat and get advice from his/her followers. But what affects a leader’s ability to not only influence others’ but also accept influence from others? In this study we explored how conscientiousness and agreeableness within the dyad related to shifting roles from leading to following and from following to leading. Methods We collected data from 233 hospital employees working in 61 teams. We measured personality at baseline and then shared leadership at the end of four consecutive work-shifts. Results We found that dyads in which both individuals rated themselves highly in conscientiousness were more likely to shift leading and following roles related to task. However, task difficulty moderated this relationship, such that when the task was perceived as more difficult, there was less shifting between leader and follower roles. Limitations Self-report data although longitudinal collection. Implications We show that high dyadic conscientiousness, particularly when tasks are not difficult, can create the requisite complexity and the ability to provide adaptive dyadic responses to the environment. Value Dyadic relationships often function with a power structure already defined, such is the relationship of the leader and the follower. It has been argued that requisite complexity can come from individuals (i.e., leaders), but also can be co-created within dyads and teams. Our study is one of the first to look at the combination of the leader, the follower and the situation on shared leadership.