Double-edged Effect of Leader Narcissism on Team Radical Creativity

Abstract

Given the vital role of team radical creativity in organizations, this study examined a moderated mediation model between leader narcissism and team radical creativity. Drawing on self-regulatory strategies of leader narcissism, we theorized that leader narcissism would have a negatively indirect effect on team radical creativity via leader voice response and team information elaboration, and have a positively indirect effect on team radical creativity via leader novel information searching and team novel information searching. In addition, organizational valuing of creativity would moderate the relationship between leader narcissism and leader voice response as well as the relationship between leader narcissism and leader novel information searching. Using a four-stage field survey from 94 team leader responses and 540 team member responses, we found that leader narcissism was negatively related to leader voice response, which was positively related to team information elaboration and team radical creativity. In addition, leader narcissism is positively related to leader novel information searching, which was positively related to team novel information searching and team radical creativity. Finally, leader perceived OVC moderates the negative relationship between leader narcissism and leader voice response, and narcissistic leaders would have less voice response in organizations with lower OVC (vs. higher); leader perceived OVC also moderates the indirect effect of leader narcissism negatively influencing team radical creativity through leader voice response and team information elaboration, such that this indirect relationship is weaker when OVC is higher (vs. lower).