Innovative Behavior is considered vital for betterment of higher educational institutions because academics’ work nowadays is to go beyond teaching as the 21st century demands new and creative work practices by the teachers. They have to think ‘out-of-the-box’ by applying Innovating behavior at work. Head/ leader’s role in this process is critical, who can use motivating language to create affective commitment in them and providing them a suitable organizational climate in the form of work environment that fosters new and innovative practices by employees through enhancing their innovative abilities. Our study focuses on the role of leader motivating language and organizational climate for innovation to promote innovative work behavior among the university teachers. This study hypothesized: (a) positive relationship of leader motivating language with affective commitment and innovative work behavior, (b) mediation of affective commitment in relationship of motivating language and innovative work behavior and (c) moderation of organizational climate for innovation in relationship of affective commitment and innovative work behavior. To test these hypothesis, SPSS and AMOS was employed to analyze the survey data collected from 367 academics from Pakistani research-based universities and results showed that Motivating language significantly impacts the innovative work behavior directly and indirectly through mediation of Affective commitment of employees. Moreover, organizational climate for innovation significantly moderated this relationship. Theoretically, this study extends Motivating language theory by providing a mediator and moderator in the relationship between motivating language and innovative work behavior. The findings of this study can provide University Heads/ leaders with key implications for effective management of their communication and motivating language as catalysts to promote affective commitment and innovative work behavior among the university teachers and academics.

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