Congratulations to David Dwertmann on his forthcoming publication in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, an elite journal in the field of management and organizational research.
In his new article, “Linking Basis of Leader–Member Exchange Differentiation to Diversity Climate and Idea Generation,” Dr. Dwertmann and coauthor Hyeon-Deok Park examine a critical question facing today’s organizations: how leaders can actively foster positive diversity climates that support creativity and innovation.
While diversity climate is widely recognized as essential for preventing negative outcomes and unlocking the benefits of diverse teams, there has been limited guidance on how leaders can actually create these environments. Dr. Dwertmann’s research addresses this gap through a multi-study, multi-method approach, combining experimental and real-world field data.
The study finds that diversity climates are more positive when differences in how leaders interact with employees are not tied to demographic characteristics such as gender or background. In other words, when leadership decisions are perceived as independent of demographics, employees are more likely to believe that diversity is genuinely valued.
The research also provides important clarity on how diversity climates influence creativity. Dr. Dwertmann and his coauthor distinguish between different perspectives on diversity climate and show that a synergy-based climate—one that emphasizes learning from differences and combining perspectives—is positively linked to idea generation, while climates focused solely on fairness or discrimination prevention are not. This finding highlights that inclusion is not just about avoiding harm, but about actively leveraging differences to drive innovation.
Beyond its implications for diversity and inclusion, the study also advances leadership theory by offering new insight into leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation, helping explain why previous research has found mixed effects. By focusing on why leaders differentiate among team members, the research provides practical guidance for leaders seeking to support both equity and creativity.
Congratulations to Dr. Dwertmann on this outstanding contribution to research on leadership, diversity, and organizational innovation.