The effect of relationship conflict on management team performance: The mediating effect of psychological safety

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine whether psychological safety mediates the association between relationship conflict and management team performance. Although much empirical research has been done on the association between relationship conflict and team performance, there is little research investigating the processes that can explain this association. We suggest that team psychological safety will serve as a mediator between relationship conflict and team performance. The data is based on a sample of 160 Norwegian management teams, that have answered a questionnaire called “effect”, from Bang and Midelfart’s (2019) work. Linear regression analyses and PROCESS by Hayes (2017) were used to test the hypotheses. All hypotheses were supported. We found a significant indirect effect of relationship conflict on management team performance, mediated by psychological safety. In addition, relationship conflict was negatively related to psychological safety and management team performance, while psychological safety was positively related to management team performance. Our study indicates that psychological safety can play an important role in explaining how relationship conflict is negative for management team performance. Increasing levels of relationship conflict seem to decrease the level of psychological safety in the team, making it less safe for the team members to speak up, ask questions, voice their concerns, and admit mistakes, which again will impede management team performance.