Caring Relationships and Innovative Behaviors at Work

The emerging literature on relational leadership views leadership as a social influence process in which relationships are a key source of leadership effectiveness. A core assumption in this line of research takes a complementary view to the social exchange perspective by viewing work relationships as generative. In this study, we develop and test a conceptual model in which caring relationships between leaders and followers augment psychological safety, which in turn fosters innovative behaviors among employees. The results of time-lagged data collected from both employees and their direct managers lend general support to our model and hypotheses. Specifically, we found both direct and indirect influence of leader-member caring relationships, through psychological safety, on innovative behaviors. Our motivational model specifies how a humanizing leadership approach in which leaders interact in ways that convey a sense of genuine care for followers’ inner needs can foster innovative behaviors through the creation of a holding environment in which they feel psychologically safe.