Impact of humble leadership on project success: the mediating role of psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the impact of humble leadership on project success. The mediating effects of psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior on the relationship between humble leadership and project success are tested.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 337 individuals employed in the civil construction sector of Pakistan.FindingsThe results showed that humble leadership is positively related to project success. Furthermore, psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior partially mediate the relationship between humble leadership and project success.Originality/valueDrawing on conservation of resource theory, this study found that how humble leadership is important for project success and thus extends the utility of the concept of humble leadership to the project literature.