Enhancing virtual team performance via high-quality interpersonal relationships: effects of authentic leadership

Purpose - Based on path–goal theory and social learning theory, this research is aimed at investigating how authentic leadership can influence team performance in virtual teams, specifically the mechanisms through the mediator of high-quality interpersonal relationships and the moderator of task interdependence. Design/methodology/approach - The valid data of this research were collected from 90 virtual teams including 388 team members and their 90 leaders with a time-lag in China, and then the data were mainly analyzed by the hierarchical multiple regression and bootstrapping method to test the hypotheses. Findings - The research results reveal that authentic leadership can positively influence virtual team performance. High-quality interpersonal relationships mediate the relationship between authentic leadership and virtual team performance. Furthermore, the indirect relationship between authentic leadership and virtual team performance via high-quality interpersonal relationships is moderated by task interdependence. Originality/value - Team performance as an important kind of team effectiveness is crucial to the virtual team's advantage and success. This research enriches the knowledge on the relationship between authentic leadership and virtual team performance, which contributes to the virtual leadership effectiveness and virtual team management.