Unlocking employee innovative behavior: the role of humble leadership, core self-evaluation, and leader-member exchange

Abstract

Humble leadership has gained attention in recent years due to its potential impact on employee performance. This study explores the association between humble leadership and follower innovative behavior by investigating the moderating role of core self-evaluation (CSE) and the mediating role of leader-member exchange (LMX). The study uses data from 328 followers and their immediate leaders to test a mediated moderation model. Results show that there is a favorable association between humble leadership and LMX and followers’ innovative behavior, particularly pronounced for followers who possess lower levels of CSE. The findings suggest that humble leaders should focus their development efforts on followers with low CSE to achieve complementarity congruity and improved innovation. This research enhances the existing body of knowledge by emphasizing the significance of comprehending the functions of relational procedures and the psychological resources of followers in determining the effectiveness of humble leadership. These findings have practical implications for organizations seeking to enhance their leadership effectiveness and followers’ innovative behavior.

Crisis and Organizational Sustainability: Empirical Analysis of the Implication of Transformational Leadership on the Decision to Stay Mediated by the Commitment of the Democratic Party in Indonesia

“…Empirical studies have demonstrated that transformational leadership positively influences organizational commitment. For instance, Avolio et al (2004), Wang et al (2024), and Gavya and Subashini (2024) found that transformational leadership behaviors significantly predicted organizational commitment in a variety of settings. Similarly, Judge and Piccolo (2004) conducted a meta-analysis and concluded that transformational leadership is positively correlated with follower commitment.…”