Exploring the nexus of self-leadership, innovative work behaviour, and mediating goal processes within small and medium-sized enterprises

This study explores the dynamics between self-leadership and innovative work behaviour in small and medium-sized enterprises, investigating the mediating roles of goal striving and goal crafting. Utilising advanced quantitative techniques, especially Smart PLS 4 for data analysis, our results reveal that self-leadership significantly enhances innovative work behaviour, both directly and indirectly through employees' self-initiated goal crafting. Interestingly, self-leadership also positively influences goal striving. However, the study identifies a non-significant impact of goal striving on innovative work behaviour. These findings contribute to employee leadership literature and offer actionable insights for managers aiming to foster creative work behaviour. Recognising the importance of self-initiated goal crafting in mediating these relationships can guide strategies to optimise organisational effectiveness and enhance employee performance within small-sized enterprises.