Time and timing matter: The role of temporal leadership in the emergence and effectiveness of team voice

Drawing on the paradox perspective of creativity and functional leadership theory, our research investigates how formal (temporal leadership) and informal leadership (shared leadership) jointly shape the emergence and effectiveness of team voice. Specifically, we explore the dual moderating role of temporal leadership, examining its negative impact on the relationship between shared leadership and team voice, and its positive influence on the curvilinear relationship between team voice and team creativity. Analyzing data from a simulation study involving 78 teams (495 participants) and a field study of 77 software development teams (572 participants), we find that shared leadership positively predicts team voice; meanwhile, temporal leadership attenuates this effect. Additionally, team voice and team creativity exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship, with high temporal leadership attenuating the curvilinear pattern and shifting the optimal level of voice upward. Finally, we discuss the theoretical contributions and practical implications of these findings.