Shared Leadership in Education: Unpacking the Influence of Psychological Ownership and Team Conflict on Adaptability

Abstract

This study examines how shared leadership influences team adaptability in the education sector through the mediating role of psychological ownership and the moderating effect of team conflict. As educational institutions face continuous change and complexity, developing adaptive teams becomes essential. This paper theorizes that shared leadership enhances psychological ownership, thereby improving team adaptability. However, this positive pathway may be weakened or strengthened depending on the level of team conflict. Using a moderated mediation framework, the study analyzes responses from 300 academic staff members in Pakistani higher education institutions. The results confirm that psychological ownership mediates the relationship between shared leadership and team adaptability, and that team conflict negatively moderates this indirect relationship. The findings have significant implications for leadership development, conflict management, and team functioning in the education sector.

Keywords

Team adaptability (TL), Shared leadership (SL), Team Conflict (TC), Psychological ownership (PO), Tem Leadership (TL)