Leader-follower risk orientation incongruence, intellectual stimulation, and creativity: a configurational approach

Prior work suggests that follower and leader risk orientation is positively associated with follower creativity. We suggest that this view is oversimplified and propose that follower creativity can be stimulated when leader and follower have diverging risk orientations. We, therefore, apply a configurational approach to creativity, evaluating varying combinations of leader and follower risk orientation on follower creativity. Across two field studies, we demonstrate that: (a) follower creativity increases as leaders’ and followers’ risk orientations become more discrepant (i.e., incongruent); (b) follower creativity is higher when leader- follower dyads are congruent at moderate levels of risk orientation compared to congruence at the extremes (i.e., low and high levels); (c) follower experienced intellectual stimulation mediates the relationship between leader-follower risk-orientation incongruence and congruence and follower creativity; and (d) that leader authority openness moderates the indirect effect of leader-follower risk orientation incongruence on creativity via follower experienced intellectual stimulation. Theoretical and practical implications specific to creativity and leader-follower relationships are discussed.