Creative and innovative leadership: measurement development and validation

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a theory-based measure presenting the creative and innovative leadership behavior construct. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical dimensions of five leadership theories (transformational leadership, change-oriented leadership, innovation champion, leader – member exchange and authentic leadership) were synthesized. Using a quantitative approach, the population sample was composed of 514 respondents who held management and non-management positions. The validity and reliability of the instrument were evaluated. Findings The results indicated that the newly developed 24-item measure achieved an acceptable level of reliability and validity in measuring the creative and innovative leadership behavior construct. Eventually, the findings revealed positive and significant influence of creative and innovative leadership behavior on creativity and innovative behavior at the individual level in the workplace. Practical implications Organizations should invest in the creative and innovative leadership behavior construct in their training and in the selection of leaders with the newly developed 24-item measurement scale if their purpose is to nurture and enhance creativity and innovation. Originality/value This study makes important theoretical contributions in different ways. The newly developed instrument contributes to the relevant literature through the development and validation of a theory-based measure. Also, this study expands knowledge about resources in the workplace that nurture and enhance creativity and innovation at the individual level.