Influence of leader humility on bootlegging innovative behavior - a serial mediation model of work attention and thriving at work

Abstract

Bootlegging innovative behavior—a form of self-initiated, unauthorized innovation—is critical for maintaining organizational adaptability and competitiveness. Drawing upon Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study investigates how leader humility influences employees' bootlegging innovative behavior, examining the sequential mediating roles of work attention and thriving at work. Data were gathered from 427 employees across manufacturing and service enterprises in eastern China. Analyses conducted via SPSS, Stata, and M-plus revealed that leader humility exerts a significant direct effect on bootlegging innovative behavior. Furthermore, both work attention and thriving at work functioned as significant mediators. We validated a serial mediation pathway whereby leader humility enhances work attention, which in turn fosters thriving at work, ultimately leading to increased bootlegging innovative behavior. By acknowledging their limitations and valuing employee contributions, humble leaders foster psychological safety and cognitive focus. This allows employees to redirect attentional resources toward meaningful tasks, promoting a state of cognitive engagement. This engagement enhances learning and vitality—the core components of thriving at work—which subsequently stimulates the intrinsic motivation necessary for such informal, self-driven innovation. These findings extend the theoretical understanding of how leader humility cultivates bottom-up innovation, highlighting the crucial cognitive and psychological mechanisms that underpin bootlegging. Practically, this study underscores that developing leader humility and fostering a thriving workplace are viable strategies for encouraging responsible innovation within organizations.