Effect of behavioral, cognitive and physiological strategies of self-leadership on innovative work behavior

Abstract

Drawing on prior literature of personal antecedent on innovative behavior, the purpose of this research is to study empirically the influence of individual self-leadership strategies on their innovative behavior. As existing studies mostly explore the behavioral and cognitive approach of self-leadership strategies in influencing innovative behaviors, the aim of the current study is to investigate the physiological approach, called it as physical vitality-focused as a new form of self-leadership in affecting innovative behavior. Data were collected from 485 engineers as the respondents from 18 electrical and electronics (E&E) manufacturing companies in Malacca, Malaysia. Data were analysis by using IBM SPSS 19 statistical program. The results indicate that all the four of self-leadership strategies (behavior-focused, constructive thought pattern, natural reward and physical vitality-focused)were significantly and positively associated with engineer’s innovative behavior. However, for regression result, the analysis showed that only strategies that focus on behavior- focused and physical vitality have strong significant and positive path coefficients towards innovative behavior. For constructive thought pattern and natural reward strategies, both showed a small and insignificant positive relationship with innovative behavior. As a conclusion, engineers with higher self-leadership exhibit higher levels of innovative behavior at their workplace.