Cross-functional team members have team diversity due to differences in demographic, value and cognitive attributes. The effects of team diversity on team outcome have aroused the interest of many scholars, however, its effect on team outcome is inconsistent. Previous studies have extensively discussed the inconsistent results mainly focus on the perspective of information processing and social classification, the role of stress (i.e., team performance pressure) is prominently ignored. Moreover, the moderating effect of team leader’s demographics (i.e., age and gender) were also underemphasized. To fill above research gap, the current paper aims proposing a theoretical model in line with the cognitive appraisal theory of stress, to explore the relationship between team cognitive diversity, team performance pressure, and team creativity, along with the moderating effects of team leader’s age and gender. To that end, a number of research hypotheses are formulated; and by reviewing various streams of the pertinent literature to address the existing lacuna in the research of team cognitive diversity and team creativity. The hypothesized associations were tested by drawing on 172 team generated from Huntkey (Hefei) which having been explored a cross-functional team management model. The data were analyzed by performing hierarchical regression analysis as well as descriptive statistics and correlations. The results revealed team cognitive diversity has a positive influence on team performance pressure, which in turn, has an inverted U-shaped association with team creativity. Moreover, findings demonstrated team leader’s age negatively moderates the correlation of team cognitive diversity and team performance pressure; team leader’s gender significantly moderated the inverted U-shaped relationship between team performance pressure and team creativity. However, empirical evidences failed to support the moderating effect of team leader’s age on the inverted U-shaped relationship between team performance pressure and team creativity, as well as the moderating effect of team leader’s gender on the effect of team cognitive diversity on team performance pressure. The findings are discussed within
existing knowledge and underlying limitations in the domain of team cognitive diversity and team creativity. Moreover, theatrical and practical implications were discussed. Finally, future research avenues are identified and discussed.