Diminished Relational Energy: How and When Co-Worker Incompetence Accusations Hinder Employee Creativity

Abstract

Drawing upon social support resource theory, this study examines the negative influences of co-worker incompetence accusations on a focal employee’s relational energy and subsequent creativity and the moderating role of servant leadership in mitigating these negative influences. The results of a two-wave, multi-source survey reveal that co-worker incompetence accusations are negatively related to a focal employee’s creativity through decreased relational energy. In addition, servant leadership moderates the negative relationship between co-worker incompetence accusations and creativity through decreased relational energy. Specifically, the indirect relationship is weaker when supervisors demonstrate higher servant leadership. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.