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The existing literature has predominantly highlighted the positive role of creativity in conflict management. However, it is essential to recognize that creativity can also manifest negative aspects, particularly in conflicts involving asymmetric power relations. This study aims to investigate how employees’ creativity during conflicts with their leaders influences their conflict management strategies. By integrating approach-inhibition theory with the creativity literature, this paper proposes that creativity plays a dual role in conflict management. This paper hypothesizes that creativity can foster both collaborative and competitive strategies – both of which are active conflict responses – among employees facing conflicts with their leaders. Furthermore, this paper posits that a competitive organizational climate, which promotes active conflict responses, strengthens the relationship between creativity and conflict management strategies.

This research includes two studies: a three-wave time-lagged field study among supervised employees (N = 256) and a vignette experiment (N = 386).

This paper found a strong link between creativity and collaborative conflict management strategies. Additionally, there was a positive but less consistent relationship between creativity and competitive strategies. Notably, competitive organizational climate enhanced the relationship between creativity and employees’ competitive behaviors, although this effect varied across studies.

The study discusses theoretical and practical implications, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dual role of creativity in conflict management to leverage its positive aspects while mitigating potential adverse outcomes.

This research provides valuable insights into the dual (positive and negative) role of creativity in conflict management within organizational settings and the moderating influence of competitive organizational climates.

Creativity plays a crucial role in interpersonal conflict within organizations, yet little research has explored its antecedents in this context. This study aims to investigate power and gender as the main determinants of creativity in interpersonal conflict within organizational contexts.

Two studies were conducted. The first study involved 226 employees from various organizations (M_age = 39.39, SD = 10.39), whereas the second study used a conflict simulation with 160 participants (M_age = 36.90, SD = 10.45) forming dyads. Both studies investigated the impact of relative power (i.e. having more power than the other person) on creativity in conflict, with a focus on the moderating role of gender. Study 2 also manipulated contextual creativity, which served as an additional moderator in this relationship.

Results largely supported our hypotheses, indicating a positive relationship between relative power and creativity in conflict. Importantly, this relationship was stronger among women. Study 2 further focused on the distinct dimensions of creativity, highlighting differences between idea originality and effectiveness.

The findings hold practical significance for organizational leaders and conflict resolution practitioners, and they further underscore the importance of considering gender dynamics in conflict resolution processes within organizations.

This research contributes novel insights into the understanding of creativity within organizational conflicts, emphasizing the interplay between relative power, gender and creativity. Additionally, the exploration of different dimensions of creativity (i.e. originality and effectiveness) adds depth to existing literature in this area.