The Bright and Dark Sides of Creativity in Employee Conflict Management; The Moderating Role of Competitive Climate

The existing literature highlights the positive role of creativity in conflict management. However, it’s crucial to recognize that creativity can also have negative aspects, especially in conflicts with powerful individuals. This study explores how employees’ creativity during conflict with their leader influences their conflict management strategies. Integrating approach-inhibition theory with the creativity literature, we propose that creativity plays a dual role in conflict management. Specifically, we hypothesize that creativity can foster both collaborative and competitive strategies —both of which are active strategies —among employees dealing with conflicts with their leaders. Acknowledging the influence of the broader organizational climate, we further hypothesize that a competitive organizational climate, which encourages active conflict response, strengthens the relationship between creativity and conflict management strategies. To test these hypotheses, we conducted two studies: a three-wave time-lagged field study (N = 256) and an experiment (N = 386). Results from both studies largely supported our hypotheses. Specifically, there was a strong link between creativity and collaborative conflict management strategies. Additionally, we found a positive but less consistent relationship between creativity and competitive conflict management strategies. Finally, competitive organizational climate strengthened the relationship between creativity and employee competitive behaviors, although this effect was not consistent across the studies. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed.