Leader Humility and Team Creativity: The Role of Team Information Sharing, Psychological Safety, and Power Distance

In this study, we identify leader humility, characterized by being open to admitting one’s limitations, shortcomings, and mistakes, and showing appreciation and giving credit to followers, as a critical leader characteristic relevant for team creativity. Integrating the literatures on creativity and leadership, we explore the relationship between leader humility and team creativity, treating team psychological safety and team information sharing as mediators. Further, we hypothesize and examine team power distance as a moderator of the relationship. We tested our hypotheses using data gathered from 72 work teams and 354 individual members from 11 information and technology firms in China using a multiple-source, time-lagged research design. We found that the positive relationship between leader humility and team information sharing was significant and positive only within teams with a low power distance value. In addition, leader humility was negatively related to team psychological safety in teams with a high power distance value, whereas the relationship was positive yet nonsignificant in teams with low power distance. Furthermore, team information sharing and psychological safety were both significantly related to team creativity. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for leadership and work teams.

[1]  T. Judge,et al.  Leader–team Complementarity: Exploring the Interactive Effects of Leader Personality Traits and Team Power Distance Values on Team Processes and Performance , 2017, The Journal of applied psychology.

[2]  Bradley P. Owens,et al.  How Does Leader Humility Influence Team Performance? Exploring the Mechanisms of Contagion and Collective Promotion Focus , 2016 .

[3]  K. Leung,et al.  Social processes and team creativity in multicultural teams: A socio‐technical framework , 2015 .

[4]  Daniel Z. Levin,et al.  Reconnection Choices: Selecting the Most Valuable (vs. Most Preferred) Dormant Ties , 2015, Organ. Sci..

[5]  T. Bauer,et al.  There are lots of big fish in this pond: The role of peer overqualification on task significance, perceived fit, and performance for overqualified employees. , 2015, The Journal of applied psychology.

[6]  D. Dierendonck,et al.  Compassionate Love as a Cornerstone of Servant Leadership: An Integration of Previous Theorizing and Research , 2015 .

[7]  C. Mainemelis,et al.  Creative Leadership: A Multi-Context Conceptualization† , 2015 .

[8]  S. Harvey.  Creative Synthesis: Exploring the Process of Extraordinary Group Creativity , 2014 .

[9]  Jing Zhou,et al.  Research on Workplace Creativity: A Review and Redirection , 2014 .

[10]  N. Anderson,et al.  Innovation and Creativity in Organizations , 2014 .

[11]  David A. Waldman,et al.  Humble Chief Executive Officers’ Connections to Top Management Team Integration and Middle Managers’ Responses , 2014 .

[12]  Zhen Zhang,et al.  Leader-team congruence in power distance values and team effectiveness: the mediating role of procedural justice climate. , 2013, The Journal of applied psychology.

[13]  Chia-yu Kou,et al.  Collective Engagement in Creative Tasks , 2013 .

[14]  Yaping Gong,et al.  A Multilevel Model of Team Goal Orientation, Information Exchange, and Creativity , 2013 .

[15]  Terence R. Mitchell,et al.  Expressed Humility in Organizations: Implications for Performance, Teams, and Leadership , 2013, Organ. Sci..

[16]  Bradley P. Owens,et al.  MODELING HOW TO GROW: AN INDUCTIVE EXAMINATION OF HUMBLE LEADER BEHAVIORS, CONTINGENCIES, AND OUTCOMES , 2012 .

[17]  Michael S. Cole,et al.  Within-group agreement: On the use (and misuse) of rWG and rWG(J) in leadership research and some best practice guidelines. , 2012 .

[18]  Huiwen Lian,et al.  Does power distance exacerbate or mitigate the effects of abusive supervision? It depends on the outcome. , 2012, The Journal of applied psychology.

[19]  Bennett E. Postlethwaite,et al.  Reaping the benefits of task conflict in teams: the critical role of team psychological safety climate. , 2012, The Journal of applied psychology.

[20]  B. Bass,et al.  Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire , 2011 .

[21]  R. Kark,et al.  Leading by example: the case of leader OCB. , 2011, The Journal of applied psychology.

[22]  J. Schaubroeck,et al.  Cognition-based and affect-based trust as mediators of leader behavior influences on team performance. , 2011, The Journal of applied psychology.

[23]  Ramesh K. Agarwal,et al.  A MODEL OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION IN ORGANIZATIONS , 2011 .

[24]  Don E. Davis,et al.  Humility: Review of measurement strategies and conceptualization as personality judgment , 2010 .

[25]  K. M. Bartol,et al.  Linking Empowering Leadership and Employee Creativity: The Influence of Psychological Empowerment, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creative Process Engagement , 2010 .

[26]  Henrik Bresman,et al.  External Learning Activities and Team Performance: A Multimethod Field Study , 2010, Organ. Sci..

[27]  Ronald F. Piccolo,et al.  The bright and dark sides of leader traits: A review and theoretical extension of the leader trait paradigm , 2009 .

[28]  Haridimos Tsoukas,et al.  A Dialogical Approach to the Creation of New Knowledge in Organizations , 2009, Organ. Sci..

[29]  Bradley L. Kirkman,et al.  Individual Power Distance Orientation and Follower Reactions to Transformational Leaders: A Cross-Level, Cross-Cultural Examination , 2009 .

[30]  Jing Zhou,et al.  A CROSS-LEVEL PERSPECTIVE ON EMPLOYEE CREATIVITY: GOAL ORIENTATION, TEAM LEARNING BEHAVIOR, AND INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY , 2009 .

[31]  Ute R. Hülsheger,et al.  Team-level predictors of innovation at work: a comprehensive meta-analysis spanning three decades of research. , 2009, The Journal of applied psychology.

[32]  D. van Knippenberg,et al.  Transformational leadership and team innovation: integrating team climate principles. , 2008, The Journal of applied psychology.

[33]  Mary T. Dzindolet,et al.  Social influence, creativity and innovation , 2008 .

[34]  Tammy L. Rapp,et al.  Team Effectiveness 1997-2007: A Review of Recent Advancements and a Glimpse Into the Future , 2008 .

[35]  R. Hogan,et al.  Leadership and the fate of organizations. , 2008, The American psychologist.

[36]  J. George.  9 Creativity in Organizations , 2007 .

[37]  Jing Zhou,et al.  When is educational specialization heterogeneity related to creativity in research and development teams? Transformational leadership as a moderator. , 2007, The Journal of applied psychology.

[38]  Simon S. K. Lam,et al.  Embracing transformational leadership: team values and the impact of leader behavior on team performance. , 2007, The Journal of applied psychology.

[39]  C. Dreu.  Cooperative outcome interdependence, task reflexivity, and team effectiveness: a motivated information processing perspective. , 2007 .

[40]  Dennis O’Connor,et al.  Team Leadership , 2007 .

[41]  J. Edwards,et al.  Methods for integrating moderation and mediation: a general analytical framework using moderated path analysis. , 2007, Psychological methods.

[42]  C. D. De Dreu.  Cooperative outcome interdependence, task reflexivity, and team effectiveness: a motivated information processing perspective. , 2007, The Journal of applied psychology.

[43]  R. Sternberg.  A systems model of leadership: WICS. , 2007, The American psychologist.

[44]  Kevin C. Stagl,et al.  What type of leadership behaviors are functional in teams? A meta-analysis , 2006 .

[45]  R. Saavedra,et al.  The contagious leader: impact of the leader's mood on the mood of group members, group affective tone, and group processes. , 2005, The Journal of applied psychology.

[46]  Dusya Vera,et al.  Strategic Virtues:: Humility as a Source of Competitive Advantage , 2004 .

[47]  C. Shalley,et al.  The Effects of Personal and Contextual Characteristics on Creativity: Where Should We Go from Here? , 2004 .

[48]  Lee Sproull,et al.  More Than an Answer: Information Relationships for Actionable Knowledge , 2004, Organ. Sci..

[49]  I. Mcmanus,et al.  Objects look different sizes in the right and left eyes. , 2004, Laterality.

[50]  P. Tierney,et al.  The Pygmalion Process and Employee Creativity , 2004 .

[51]  Julie J. Exline,et al.  Perceptions of Humility: A Preliminary Study , 2004 .

[52]  Bradley L. Kirkman,et al.  The Impact of Team Empowerment on Virtual Team Performance: The Moderating Role of Face-to-Face Interaction , 2004 .

[53]  M. Basadur.  Leading others to think innovatively together: Creative leadership , 2004 .

[54]  C. Shalley,et al.  WHAT LEADERS NEED TO KNOW: A REVIEW OF SOCIAL AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS THAT CAN FOSTER OR HINDER CREATIVITY , 2004 .

[55]  Teresa M. Amabile,et al.  Leader Behaviors and the Work Environment for Creativity: Perceived Leader Support , 2004 .

[56]  Bradley L. Kirkman,et al.  The Impact of Team Empowerment on Virtual Team Performance: The Moderating Role of Face-to-Face Interaction , 2004 .

[57]  Deborah House.  The top five profit drains and how to plug them , 2003 .

[58]  Linda Argote,et al.  Managing Knowledge in Organizations: An Integrative Framework and Review of Emerging Themes , 2003, Manag. Sci..

[59]  M. Frese,et al.  Innovation is not enough: climates for initiative and psychological safety, process innovations, and firm performance , 2003 .

[60]  C. Shalley,et al.  The Social Side of Creativity: A Static and Dynamic Social Network Perspective , 2003 .

[61]  P. Drucker,et al.  Leading teams: setting the stage for great performances [Book Review] , 2003, IEEE Engineering Management Review.

[62]  M. Mumford,et al.  Leading creative people: Orchestrating expertise and relationships , 2002 .

[63]  J. Hackman,et al.  Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances , 2002 .

[64]  Amy C. Edmondson,et al.  The Local and Variegated Nature of Learning in Organizations: A Group-Level Perspective , 2002, Organ. Sci..

[65]  Yuen J. Huo,et al.  Cultural values and authority relations: The psychology of conflict resolution across cultures. , 2000 .

[66]  Kenneth S. Law,et al.  Power-Distance, Gender and Organizational Justice , 2000 .

[67]  J. Tangney,et al.  Humility : Theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and directions for future research , 2000 .

[68]  Earley,et al.  Playing Follow the Leader: Status-Determining Traits in Relation to Collective Efficacy across Cultures. , 1999, Organizational behavior and human decision processes.

[69]  A. Edmondson.  Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams , 1999 .

[70]  P. Earley.  Playing follow the leader: Status-determining traits , 1999 .

[71]  P. Bliese.  Group Size, ICC Values, and Group-Level Correlations: A Simulation , 1998 .

[72]  N. Anderson,et al.  Measuring climate for work group innovation: development and validation of the team climate inventory , 1998 .

[73]  W. Lyddon.  Creativity in Context: Update to "The Social Psychology of Creativity" , 1998 .

[74]  G. R. Oldham,et al.  Employee Creativity: Personal and Contextual Factors at Work , 1996 .

[75]  T. Tyler,et al.  A Relational Model of Authority in Groups , 1992 .

[76]  Blair T. Johnson,et al.  Gender and Leadership Style: A Meta-Analysis , 1990 .

[77]  Thomas H. Thornburg.  Creativity in organizations , 1988 .

[78]  R. Brislin.  The wording and translation of research instruments. , 1986 .

[79]  James M. Utterback,et al.  The Effects of Communication on Technological Innovation , 1984 .

[80]  L. James,et al.  Estimating within-group interrater reliability with and without response bias. , 1984 .

[81]  R. Roberts.  Spirituality and human emotion , 1982 .

[82]  G. Hofstede.  Motivation, leadership, and organization: Do American theories apply abroad? , 1980 .

[83]  L E White,et al.  Creative leadership. , 1969, Journal of medical education.

[84]  W. Phillips Davison,et al.  On the Effects of Communication , 1959 .