Leading Through Constraints: Investigating the Effects of Leader Constraint Framing on Creative Processes and Performance

Abstract

An emerging body of research suggests constraints can either hinder or facilitate creativity and innovation in organizations depending on a variety of factors, including how the constraints are perceived by those engaged in creative work. When perceived as a source of creative challenge or opportunity, for example, constraints can motivate creative engagement and subsequently enhance creative performance. Despite the importance of perceptions like these, research examining the variables likely to influence perceptions of constraints is scarce. In fact, although leaders are often responsible for identifying and communicating constraints to those engaged in creative work, little research has examined communication strategies leaders might use to shape perceptions of constraints in a manner that drives creative engagement and performance. In this experimental study, we examined how a leader’s use of two constraint framing strategies—convergent and divergent—might differentially influence performance on three creative processes—problem definition, idea generation, and idea evaluation. Additionally, we examined whether the effects of these framing strategies are contingent on participants’ creative self-efficacy and the timing in which constraints are introduced throughout the creative process. The findings provide evidence for divergent constraint framing as an effective strategy by which leaders can promote engagement in creative processes and enhance creative performance, particularly when constraints are introduced during early stages of a creative effort. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for organizational leaders are also discussed.