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Better to give than to receive (or seek) help? The interpersonal dynamics of maintaining a reputation for creativity

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  • Carnevale, Joel B.
  • Huang, Lei
  • Vincent, Lynne C.
  • Farmer, Steven
  • Wang, Lin

Abstract

Prior research suggests that the broader social environment in which employees develop, refine, and share their ideas is crucial in promoting creativity. But employees might not always be willing to interact with their coworkers in ways conducive to the development of creative outcomes, particularly if they become overly concerned about establishing and preserving others’ perceptions of their creative ability. Using both field and experimental studies, we integrate the impression management framework and the creativity-relevant helping literatures to investigate the psychological pressures and calculative interpersonal behaviors that stem from employees’ engagement in creative work. Results across three studies provide converging evidence that, due to the arousal of creative reputation maintenance concerns (CRMC), creative individuals (relative to their less creative counterparts) engage in less creativity help-seeking and more creativity help-giving, and these effects are strengthened when individuals have previously received help from others. We discuss the implications and limitations of this work and provide future research directions.

Suggested Citation

  • Carnevale, Joel B. & Huang, Lei & Vincent, Lynne C. & Farmer, Steven & Wang, Lin, 2021. "Better to give than to receive (or seek) help? The interpersonal dynamics of maintaining a reputation for creativity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 144-156.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:167:y:2021:i:c:p:144-156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2021.08.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bozeman, Dennis P. & Kacmar, K. Michele, 1997. "A Cybernetic Model of Impression Management Processes in Organizations," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 9-30, January.
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    4. Lee, Fiona, 1997. "When the Going Gets Tough, Do the Tough Ask for Help? Help Seeking and Power Motivation in Organizations," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 72(3), pages 336-363, December.
    5. Redmond, Matthew R. & Mumford, Michael D. & Teach, Richard, 1993. "Putting Creativity to Work: Effects of Leader Behavior on Subordinate Creativity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 120-151, June.
    6. Andrew B. Hargadon & Beth A. Bechky, 2006. "When Collections of Creatives Become Creative Collectives: A Field Study of Problem Solving at Work," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(4), pages 484-500, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Berg, Justin M. & Duguid, Michelle M. & Goncalo, Jack A. & Harrison, Spencer H. & Miron-Spektor, Ella, 2023. "Escaping irony: Making research on creativity in organizations more creative," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    2. Yan, Liuxin & Emil Chai, Valentino & Chi Yam, Kai, 2024. "Demeaning extrinsic motivation leads to increased perceptions of hypocrisy," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

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