PUTTING CREATIVITY TO WORK - EFFECTS OF LEADER-BEHAVIOR ON SUBORDINATE CREATIVITY

Although many studies have examined creativity in organizational settings, little attention has been given to the impact of leader behavior on subordinate creativity. To address this issue, current models of creative performance were used to identify three leader behaviors that might influence subordinate creativity, including problem construction, learning goals, and feelings of self-efficacy. Subsequently, these leader behaviors were manipulated as subordinates performed a task requiring creation of a marketing campaign. The quality and originality of the resulting campaigns was evaluated. It was found that leader behavior contributing to problem construction and feelings of self-efficacy lead to higher subordinate creativity. The implications of these findings for understanding creative performance were considered, along with some potential practical applications. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.