The Effect of Middle Leaders’ Cognitive Complexity on Team Performance and Conflict Management Through Middle Leaders’ Positive Perception of Diversity

Abstract

The study examines the impact of middle leaders’ cognitive complexity (CC) on team performance and conflict management, focusing on their positive perception of diversity. This study is quantitative; the Person’s R test was used. The proposed model was examined using (ML-SEM) equation modeling in the M-Plus program. To determine whether the model fits, I used the fit indices of comparative fit index (CFI) and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). A fit index of more than.90 and RMSEA of less than.10 indicates adequate validity. Aggregation was conducted to address conflict and performance at the school level, within-group interrater agreement (rWG), and intraclass correlations (ICCs): ICC1, ICC2. ICC1 examines the within-group variance by answering the question: To what extent can variability measures be predicted from team membership? ICC2 examines the between-group variance by answering the question: How reliable are the team means within a sample? The data comprised 71 middle leaders who constituted 71 teams and 228 team members with a minimum of 3 teachers in each team (according to the G*Power program) from 12 Israeli schools. Results showed that middle leaders' CC affects team performance through its effect on their positive perception of the diversity of their team members. Further, the diversity perception of middle leaders was negatively related to teachers’ perceptions of conflict (relation conflict and process conflict). Conflict in teams was not related to performance. The current study can enhance school management strategies by promoting diversity and heterogeneity among middle leaders, thereby improving decision-making and performance outcomes.