PurposeThe ambidextrous leadership model specifically describes opening and closing leader behaviors in the innovation process. This paper aims to emphasize the relevance of the ambidextrous leadership model with respect to leadership in innovation processes.Design/methodology/approachIn this longitudinal research design, 54 employees rated the ambidextrous leader behaviors and innovation performance concerning an innovation project over a period of six weeks. Traditional leadership styles (i.e. transformational, transactional, instrumental leadership, leader–member exchange) were assessed at a between-person level to identify their effects with respect to innovation performance.FindingsMultilevel regression analysis results showed that instrumental leadership as well as opening and closing leader behaviors were positively related to innovation performance. By contrast, transformational and transactional leadership as well as leader–member exchange (LMX) did not show significant associations with innovation performance.Originality/valueThe findings support the relevance of specific leader behaviors to the innovation process and therefore underline the importance of the ambidextrous leadership model.

In this experiment, the effect of the alignment of leader behaviors with innovation requirements was investigated. A sample of N = 245 students participated in a laboratory experiment. Participants had to address either creativity or implementation requirements within a task and received a leadership manipulation in a video message. Results showed that the alignment of leader behaviors with innovation requirements led to improved performance. These findings contribute to the literature by addressing the specific requirements within the innovation process and by showing that aligning leader behaviors with these requirements contribute to performance in the innovation process.

Abstract. Based on the model of ambidextrous leadership, we investigated the impact of flexible adaptation of leader behavior, that is, opening and closing leader behaviors, on innovative performance in a laboratory experiment. Leader behaviors were manipulated with confederates attending to one participant showing either no leadership, a sequential, or a flexible application of opening and closing leader behaviors. We hypothesized that flexible adaptation leads to better innovation performance. N = 93 participants took part and received one leadership manipulation. We did not find significant effects. These findings suggest that the effects of ambidextrous leadership might not be as strong as previously expected. Nonetheless, this study provides a manipulation of flexible leadership in a controlled setting, which is important to provide causal evidence.

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