How does proactive personality promote creativity? A multilevel examination of the interplay between formal and informal leadership

Based on the social perspective on creativity, which highlights the importance of social network parameters for individual creativity, this study examines the relationship between employees’ proactive personality and their individual creativity in the context of visionary leadership behaviour. Using survey data from 247 employees and their direct supervisors from 54 work teams in China, we find that informal leadership status mediates the relationship between an employee's proactive personality and his/her creativity. We also demonstrate that the link between an employee's informal leadership status and his/her individual creativity is moderated by formal leaders’ visionary behaviour. Overall, a moderated‐mediation model is established such that, when a formal leader shows a high level of visionary behaviour, the relationship between an employee's proactive personality and his/her creativity via informal leadership status is stronger than with a low level of visionary leader behaviour. Practitioner points Employees with more proactive personalities should be aware of and take advantage of their potential informal leadership status in work teams for increased individual creativity. We suggest that managers recognize informal leaders and provide visionary guidance to promote the informal leaders’ creativity.