Reading Minds, Sparking Ideas: How Machiavellian Leaders Boost Team Creativity Through Cross-Understanding

Yihang Yan, Hongzhen Lei (), Hui Xiong, Yuanzhe Liu and Xiaoqian Qu
Additional contact information
Yihang Yan: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
Hongzhen Lei: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
Hui Xiong: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
Yuanzhe Liu: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
Xiaoqian Qu: International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China

Administrative Sciences, 2025, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigates the impact of Machiavellian leadership on team creativity through the mediating role of cross-understanding and the moderating effect of task interdependence. While prior research has emphasized the negative consequences of Machiavellian tendencies, we argue that in highly interdependent team settings—such as project-based groups in technology, manufacturing, and financial enterprises—such leaders may foster constructive processes that enhance innovation. Drawing on social learning and trait activation theories, we conducted a multi-source survey of 86 teams (379 employees) in Chinese organizations. Team members assessed task interdependence and cross-understanding, while leaders reported their own Machiavellian tendencies and rated team creativity. Results show that Machiavellian leadership predicts team creativity indirectly through cross-understanding, with task interdependence strengthening this pathway. Theoretically, this study enriches leadership and creativity research by providing a nuanced view of how dark traits can stimulate team-level creativity through cognitive interaction mechanisms and by identifying task interdependence as a boundary condition. Practically, the findings suggest that organizations should recognize the creative potential of Machiavellian leaders in high-interdependence contexts, channel their ambition toward innovation goals, and design workflows that promote cross-understanding and collaboration.

Keywords: Machiavellian leadership; team creativity; cross-understanding; task interdependence; social learning theory; trait activation theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/10/400/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/10/400/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:15:y:2025:i:10:p:400-:d:1774360

Access Statistics for this article

Administrative Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Nancy Ma

More articles in Administrative Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().