The mixed blessing of leader mindfulness: The competing lens of dyadic affective and cognitive conflicts in investigating follower creativity

Abstract

Social scientists and practitioners alike, so far, assume that leader mindfulness is inherently beneficial while paying limited attention to its potential drawbacks. Drawing upon social information processing theory, we contend that leader mindfulness is a mixed blessing as it relates to follower creativity. Using two multi-wave, multi-source field studies, our findings indicate a negative relationship between leader mindfulness and leader–follower dyadic affective conflict, which in turn increases follower creativity. However, leader mindfulness has a negative relationship with leader–follower dyadic cognitive conflict, resulting in decreased follower creativity. Further, perceived leaders' organizational embodiment strengthens the positive indirect effect of leader mindfulness on follower creativity through leader–follower dyadic affective conflict, whereasperceived leaders' organizational embodiment does not moderate the indirect effect through leader–follower dyadic cognitive conflict. Theoretical and practical insights regarding leader mindfulness and follower creativity are discussed.