The present study examines the previously untested effect of work ethic on individual innovation behavior. These entrenched personal values that may remain unaffected by organizational constitution are suggested to shape a person's inclination to engage in innovative action. Deploying partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM), we show that being self‐reliant and time‐efficient positively influences employees' innovation behavior, while an attitude toward hard work and leisure has a negative impact. Moreover, self‐reliance, leisure orientation, and centrality of work are positively moderated by fair salary, a specific form of relational reward that previously has been identified as an antecedent of motivation. The work at hand thus contributes to extant research by enhancing knowledge about the antecedents of innovative behavior, showing that inherent work‐related values matter. As such, the study demonstrates the importance of considering the linkage of personal differences and motivational factors when examining the complex processes of individual innovation behavior.

The present study investigates the influence of level 5 leadership, a leadership approach based on humility and professional will, on subordinate’s innovation behavior at work. The main aim is to shed further light on the understanding of how leadership can foster innovative behavior. Further we test if the dark triad of personality, consisting of narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy, affects the likelihood of being a level 5 leader. Applying partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM), we show that humility, but even more the interaction effect of both level 5 virtues, humility and professional will is central and in fact increases innovation behavior of subordinates. Although the influence of dark personality traits on level 5 leadership provides a mixed picture, we find evidence that narcissistic tendencies and humble behavior could coexist at the same time. This consideration contributes to the unclear relationship between narcissism and humility, two central characteristics in leadership research.