Authentic Leadership Fostering Creativity in Start-ups: Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Employee Task Proactivity

Santoshi Sengupta, Swati Sharma and Aishwarya Singh

Business Perspectives and Research, 2021, vol. 9, issue 2, 235-251

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of authentic leadership (AL) on employee creativity and the mediating role of work engagement (WE) and employee task proactivity (ETP) in the context of start-ups. Data collected from 300 leaders and 300 employees of Indian start-ups were analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings suggest that AL has direct and significant effects on creativity and the same is mediated by WE and ETP. For a start-up, it is essential that employees perceive their founders or leaders to have high moral perspective, clear sense of self-awareness and exhibit transparency in their behaviours with their followers. Such behaviours motivate the followers to invest soulfully in their work and do things in a proactive manner, which then leads to creativity. For any start-up to succeed, both a strong form of positive leadership and high levels of creativity from employees are required.

Keywords: Authentic leadership; creativity; work engagement; employee task proactivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:busper:v:9:y:2021:i:2:p:235-251

DOI: 10.1177/2278533720964298

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