Leaders’ positive and implicit followership theory and team creativity in a university scientific research team

The promotion of team creativity has recently become a focus in leadership research. From the perspectives of the input–process–output model and social cognitive theory, we explored leaders’ positive and implicit followership theory (LPIFT) and examined team creativity, with 417 paired postgraduate and supervisor participants from a university scientific research team. Results show that LPIFT had a significant positive impact on team creativity, and that team trust (cognitive and emotional) mediated this relationship. Further, team empowerment climate positively moderated both the relationship between LPIFT and team trust (cognitive and emotional) and the mediating role of team trust (cognitive and emotional). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.