How and when servant leaders fuel creativity: The role of servant attitude and intrinsic motivation. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo; Zoghbi-Manrique-de-Lara, Pablo
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 89(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Servant leadership -- Workplace creativity -- Servant attitude -- Intrinsic motivation -- Moderated mediation; Hotel management -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Periodicals; Hôtels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Restaurants -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Services alimentaires -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Food service management; Hotel management; Restaurant management; Periodicals; 647.94
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102537
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Highlights: Path and conditions for servant leadership to foster workplace creativity. Servant leaders foster employee creativity by cultivating a servant attitude. For employees with low intrinsic motivation, servant leaders directly foster creativity. Servant attitude and intrinsic motivation together boost workplace creativity. Abstract: Workplace creativity is critical to stay ahead in the current competitive hospitality industry. Recent research has suggested that servant leadership fosters creativity. However, there is a lack of research into the mechanisms and situations that make this link possible. This paper examines (1) employee servant attitude as a mediator in the servant leadership–employee creativity relationship, and (2) the role of intrinsic motivation in both the direct and the mediated relationship. Using structural equation modeling to analyze a sample of 259 hotel employees in Spain, we found that servant attitude is one of the mechanisms servant leaders use to foster creativity, and that this mediating role of servant attitude is strengthened as employee intrinsic motivation increases. However, when intrinsic motivation decreases, the mediation reverts and the leadership–employee creativity relationship becomes significant again. New light is shed on how and when servant leadership is most effective in fostering hotel staff creativity.