Extraversion predicts leadership emergence and effectiveness, but do groups perform
more effectively under extraverted leadership? Drawing on dominance complementarity
theory, we propose that although extraverted leadership enhances group performance
when employees are passive, this effect reverses when employees are proactive,
because extraverted leaders are less receptive to proactivity. In Study 1, pizza stores
with leaders rated high (low) in extraversion achieved higher profits when employees
were passive (proactive). Study 2 constructively replicates these findings in the laboratory:
passive (proactive) groups achieved higher performance when leaders acted
high (low) in extraversion. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for
leadership and proactivity.