When Passions Collide: Passion Convergence in Entrepreneurial Teams

Abstract

Extant research on passion is replete with individual-level studies. Although team-level studies have emerged, these empirical studies have adopted a static approach. We pivot from the predominant static focus on passion by examining passion convergence, or the dynamic pattern of increasing similarity in passion among members of a team. Drawing on multilevel theory of emergence in teams and using the novel consensus emergence model approach, we theorize the phenomenon of passion convergence and focus on how within-team experiences of progress and setback shape passion convergence. We also analyze the impact of passion convergence on team performance. Data from 314 individuals nested in 82 new venture teams indicate that experiencing team progress facilitated passion convergence, whereas experiencing team setbacks did not have a significant impact on passion convergence. Results also suggest that teams with members converging on a high level of passion positively predicted team performance. We discuss the theoretical and practical significance of our study.