Leader‐Member Exchange and Transformational Leadership: An Empirical Examination of Innovative Behaviors in Leader‐Member Dyads

This paper evoked leader‐member exchange (LMX) and transformational leadership theories to explain innovative behavior in leader‐member dyads. Data from 225 leader‐member dyads in a Fortune 500 manufacturing plant found exchange quality to be positively related to follower autonomy, leader support of followers, and follower commitment to the organization. Further, followers who were supported by their leaders and who were committed to the organization were more likely to be innovative. Also, exchange quality was directly related to innovative behaviors. Contrary to expectations, transformational leadership was negatively related to innovative behaviors of followers.