Environmentally specific authentic leadership and team green creative behavior based on cognitive-affective path systems

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of environmentally specific authentic leadership (ESAL) and cognitive-affective path systems (team passion and goal clarity) in enhancing green creativity at the team level. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from hotel employees through a structured questionnaire. Findings According to the investigation of 130 teams, ESAL influences team green creative behavior (TGCB), and this link was mediated by the team environmental goal clarity (TEGC). Furthermore, the study also finds a moderating role of team environmental harmonious passion (TEHP) between the hypothesized links. Based on these findings, the study discusses theoretical and practical implications. Practical implications Hospitality organizations looking to encourage teams to participate in TGCB as a whole should make sure that leaders are able to express their true selves. Further, leaders should focus on developing team members’ environmental passion and awareness of their TGCB. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that summarizes the literature on ESAL, TEHP and TEGC in the new managerial framework of TGCB. The analysis also advances the creativity literature by further expanding green creativity research to the hotel/ tourism discipline and adding authentic leadership to the subtle body of predictors for green creativity at the team level.