Drawing on role theory, this study investigates the cross-level impact of shared leadership on employee creativity via role conflict, and further explores the boundary condition of task-oriented vertical leader behavior. Data were collected from 691 employees and their direct leaders from 93 teams in China. The results reveal that (a) shared leadership increases role conflict, (b) shared leadership negatively affects employee creativity through role conflict, and (c) task-oriented vertical leader behavior weakens the impact of shared leadership on role conflict and the negative indirect impact of shared leadership on employee creativity. This study enriches the literature on leadership and creativity by revealing the potential inhibiting effect of shared leadership on creativity and the mitigating effect of vertical leadership behavior.
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