Humble leadership and innovative behaviour among Chinese nurses: The mediating role of work engagement.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of humble leadership on innovative behaviour among Chinese nurses and to examine the mediating role of work engagement in this relationship. Nurses' innovative behaviour and work engagement are critical to the quality of health care services. Although research has established that leadership is beneficial for individuals, teams and organisations, it's less clear whether humble leadership could promote innovative behaviour and work engagement among nurses. The data were collected in China. A sample of 377 nurses completed measures of humble leadership, innovative behaviour and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Structural equation model was adopted to verify the research hypotheses. Humble leadership was significantly and positively related to nurses' innovative behaviour and work engagement (p<.01). And work engagement partially mediated the association between humble leadership and innovative behaviour. Humble leaders are critical to enhancing nurses' innovative behaviour, and work engagement plays an intervening mechanism explaining how humble leaders promote innovative behaviour among nurses. Hospital managers should pay attention to improve head nurses' humble leadership, which could lead to a higher level of innovative behaviour and work engagement among nurse.