current emotional outbreaks, for example by encouraging the affected person to calm down or breathe deeply.
The first three of these strategies are antecedent-focused, as they aim to remedy the problem by addressing the causes (anteced- ents) of emotions. Leaders typically employ these strategies before fully developed emotional responses can arise in a given situation. The fourth strategy is response-focused in that it merely aims to interrupt emotional outbreaks (responses). This strategy occurs after emotional responses have already arisen.
To date empirical research specifically on MNT leaders managing emotions in diverse groups is still very limited. The few studies addressing this topic for multinational settings focus exclusively on the emotional challenges of cross-cultural cooperation and investigate cultural differences in the display of emotions or culture-specific expectations towards leaders. In contrast, scholars have so far neglected the specific challenges of emotion management in multilingual contexts. Even though cultural barriers and language barriers are closely intertwined, they are still separate concepts. Consequently, language barriers are likely to entail unique emotional chal- lenges, which will transcend the impact of cultural value differences and, hence, require spe- cifically tailored leadership measures to manage and regulate them.
We will develop our contribution to this field in two steps. First, we will investigate the language-induced emotional challenges on the basis of the following research question: “Which negative emotional reactions do language barriers trigger among MNT mem- bers?” In response to this question, our study will provide a classification of MNT members' negative emotional reactions to language barriers. In a second step, we will search for suitable leadership measures to manage these disruptive emotions. Our second and main research question therefore is: “How can MNT leaders mitigate negative language-induced emotions among their subordinates?” In responding to this question, we will develop specific guidelines for MNT leaders to follow.
Method
Research design
MNTs provide a particularly information-rich context for the specific purpose of our study. First, they typically have a higher de- gree of linguistic diversity compared to regular hierarchies. Second, teams constitute “cauldrons of bubbling emotions”, as their work involves “social mechanisms of sharing, accountability and managing relationships, all of which can be inherently and intensely emotional”. Third, MNT leaders usually have a lower degree of formal authority over team members compared to superiors in traditional hierarchies. Hence, in order to be accepted as leaders, MNT leaders in particular need to show good leadership. Finally, work teams “are the basic units in business or- ganizations around the world, and their activities are ubiquitous within organizations”. Particularly MNTs are considered at “the ‘heart’ of globalization”, so research in this context is of highest theoretical and practical relevance.
Given the lack of theory development on the regulation of language-induced emotions in teamwork, we considered a qualitative, exploratory and inductive approach the most appropriate for our purpose. This research design helps us to address “how” questions such as ours, to investigate complex subject areas and to capture the mechanisms under study in the form of robust mid-range theory. Specifically for research on leadership and emotions, call for more qualitative studies conducted in naturalistic settings.
Following Eisenhardt and Graebner (2007), we grounded our study in prior research, specifically