If We See, Will We Agree? Unpacking the Complex Relationship Between Stimuli and Team Climate Strength

Abstract

The concept of climate strength – the extent of agreement among group members regarding climate perceptions – has evolved from a statistical criterion for aggregation to a focal management construct. We review 156 empirical team climate studies spanning the last decade, observing a widely held assumption that environmental stimuli influence climate strength. However, closer inspection suggests that this relationship is far more complex and nuanced than previously considered. This is problematic since an oversimplified view of how climate strength develops may lead to erroneous conclusions: for example, that everyone will share similar perceptions if exposed to the same stimuli. Our review: (1) distinguishes experiences from interpretations, explaining how some stimuli are experienced by all (some) yet are interpreted differently (the same); (2) distinguishes stimuli from the contexts in which they occur, explaining how contextual elements – specifically, the structural dimensions of teams – are not stimuli but rather act as a lenses through which experiences and interpretations occur; and (3) develops a more complete theory of climate strength reflecting contemporary work practices – including informal structures and teams with more fluid boundaries – by explaining how these lenses simultaneously filter multiple stimuli in either complementary or competing ways.