Instrumental leadership and creativity: cognitive mechanisms via problem-solving rumination and knowledge sharing with coworkers

Abstract

Purpose

The present research aimed to develop and test cognitive processes through which instrumental leadership leads to creativity via problem-solving rumination and knowledge sharing with coworkers, based on the self-regulatory perspective of goal progress theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 166 male construction workers (nested within 19 male leaders) who completed the total of 1,642 daily diary questionnaires. Further, a group-mean centering approach and several control variables were used in order to improve causal inferences of the results.

Findings

It was found that instrumental leadership predicts problem-solving rumination (an intrapersonal self-regulatory process) and knowledge sharing with coworkers (an interpersonal self-regulatory process), which, in turn, result in creativity.

Originality/value

In addition to motivational processes that explain the relationships between several leadership styles and creativity, the current research found a crucial role of instrumental leadership in predicting creativity.

Citation

Yun, M. (2023), "Instrumental leadership and creativity: cognitive mechanisms via problem-solving rumination and knowledge sharing with coworkers", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 44 No. 4, pp. 543-563. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-08-2022-0357