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The function of cognitive diversity has not yet been studied to a sufficient degree. To address this gap, the current study aims to answer the questions of how and when team cognitive diversity fosters individual creativity by integrating the intellectual capital view and the inclusion literature.

With a paired and time-lagged sample consisting of 368 members and 46 leaders from Chinese high-tech organizations, a multilevel moderated mediation model was developed to test the hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling.

Team cognitive diversity is positively related to individual creativity via team intellectual capital, but this positive indirect effect is obtained only when the inclusive team climate is high.

Team intellectual capital serves as an alternative mechanism for translating team cognitive diversity into favorable outcomes, and an inclusive team climate plays a pivotal role in harvesting the benefits of team cognitive diversity. Future research could extend our study by adopting a multiwave longitudinal or experimental design, examining the possibility of curvilinearity, considering the changes in patterns over time, and conducting cross-cultural studies.

Managers should take the initiative to assemble a team featuring cognitive diversity when facing creative tasks, and should proactively cultivate an inclusive culture when leading such a team.

This study is among the first to consider the mediating role of team intellectual capital in the cross-level effect of team cognitive diversity on individual creativity and to examine the boundary role of an inclusive team climate with respect to this indirect effect.

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between leader bottom-line mentality (BLM) and employee innovative behavior, which may be interpreted by employees’ perceived creativity expectations and moderated by employee time orientation.

A multi-wave and multi-source questionnaire survey with 259 paired Chinese employee–leader dyads provided data to test the theoretical model. Hypotheses were tested with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Consistent with hypotheses, leader BLM reduces employees’ perceived creativity expectations and thus inhibits employees’ innovative behavior, and this effect is stronger for employees with short-term orientation.

Our findings highlight the negative influences of leader BLM on innovative behavior and the buffering role of employees’ long-term orientation. Organizations may incorporate BLM in leadership promotion and evaluation and provide corresponding training for leaders to overcome BLM. In addition, long-term orientation can be a valuable indicator in employee recruitment and selection.

This study contributes to a new theoretical perspective of the Pygmalion effects for understanding leader BLM’s influence on employee innovative behavior.