Summary of the study
Empowering Creativity Through Constructive Communication
How do employees’ voices shape leadership dynamics and creative growth in organizations? The recent study titled “Promotive Voice, Leader-Member Exchange, and Creativity Endorsement: The Role of Supervisor-Attributed Motives” explores this vital question by examining the impact of promotive voice on creativity and leadership relationships in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan.
Key Findings from the Study
1. Promotive Voice as a Catalyst:
• Employees’ constructive suggestions, termed promotive voice, significantly enhance workplace relationships and foster innovation when perceived positively by supervisors.
2. Role of Supervisor-Attributed Motives:
• Supervisors tend to endorse creative ideas and build stronger Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) relationships when they perceive employees’ promotive voices as driven by performance enhancement motives (focused on organizational improvement).
• Conversely, when employees’ actions are viewed as driven by impression management motives (focused on self-promotion), it hinders LMX development and idea endorsement.
3. Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) as a Mediator:
• High-quality LMX relationships act as a bridge, translating employees’ promotive voice into creative idea endorsement.
4. Empirical Evidence:
• Data from 572 employees and 80 supervisors in manufacturing and electronics SMEs confirmed the significance of promotive voice in enhancing creativity and leadership quality.
Practical Implications
• For Employees:
• Focus on genuine, performance-driven suggestions to foster trust and ensure creative ideas gain supervisor endorsement.
• For Managers:
• Develop a mindset to distinguish between constructive and self-serving motives, ensuring unbiased support for innovative ideas.
• For Organizations:
• Invest in leadership training to nurture open communication channels and build stronger leader-member relationships.
Why This Study Matters
Promotive voice is more than just speaking up—it’s about shaping an organization’s future through meaningful dialogue. This study underscores the importance of recognizing and rewarding genuine efforts while managing biases in supervisor perceptions. By fostering transparent and constructive communication, SMEs can unlock their full creative potential.
Contribution
This research bridges gaps in understanding how supervisors’ attribution of motives affects the outcomes of promotive voice. It highlights:
• The dual role of supervisors in interpreting promotive voice, distinguishing between constructive and manipulative motives.
• Practical implications for fostering environments where performance-driven promotive voice is encouraged and rewarded, enhancing organizational creativity and relationships.
• New theoretical insights into the interplay between motive attribution, LMX development, and innovation in SMEs.
Conclusion
The study underscores the importance of supervisors’ perceptions in shaping the outcomes of employee promotive voice. Organizations should train managers to recognize and support performance-enhancing motives while addressing biases against impression management motives. By fostering high-quality LMX, organizations can harness the potential of employee voices to drive creativity and innovation, ultimately contributing to a more collaborative and dynamic workplace.
Explore the full study in the Journal of Intercultural Communication for deeper insights into how promotive voice transforms workplaces. Let’s embrace the power of ideas and relationships to drive organizational success!
https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v23i3.121
Author keywords
Creativity Endorsement; Impression Management Motives; Leader-Member Exchange; Performance Enhancement Motives; Promotive Voice; Voice Behaviour
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals mapped to this document
Partnership for the goals | Goal 17
Author Biographies
Dr. Israr Ahmad: Currently, he is serving as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia. He received his doctorate in management from Universiti Utara Malaysia. A seasoned professional and dedicated academician, he excels in both fields. His area of interest includes management, strategic management, business studies, organizational behavior, human capital, and organizational development. His research and teaching endeavors have left a positive impact on both students and colleagues alike. He is a motivated and diligent man who would relish the opportunity to exhibit his worth in a challenging setting. He continues to contribute significantly to academia and research.
Prof. Ramayah, is currently a Professor of Technology Management, School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Visiting ProfessorMinjiang University (China), Daffodil International University (DIU) Bangladesh, Fakulti Ekonomi dan Pengurusan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Fakulti Pengurusan dan Perniagaan, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Adjunct Professorat University Center for Research & Development (UCRD), Chandigarh University (CU), India, Sunway University, Azman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Malaysia. He was also a Visiting Professor at King Saud University (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and an Adjunct Professor at Multimedia University previously. He has an h-index of 111 and a citation of 48,229 in Google Scholar and an i-10 index of 527; his h-index in SCOPUS is 64, with 14,840 citations, while his h-index in ISI/Clarivate is 50 with 9,979 citations. His full profile can be accessed from www.ramayah.com
Dr. Ahmad Adeel is an associate professor of Management at the Department of Business Education, The University of Chenab, Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. He received his PhD in Business Administration from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. His research interests are conflict management, motivation, and creativity.
