Abstract: As a key element, creative problem-solving not only helps the organization to get competitive advantage and important prerequisite, but also promotes employees work performance. Creative problem-solving becomes one of management themes. Although existing researches suggest leader coaching behavior can help employee creative problem-solving, the effect of leader coaching behavior on employee creative problem-solving does not get fully explained. Empirical studies show mixed results and this relationship has remained ambiguous and contested. This paper constructs a chain mediation model based on the theory of self-regulation in order to fill the existing research gap. The results show that:(1) leader coaching behavior is positively related to employee creative problem-solving; (2) psychological safety and critical thinking mediate the relationship between leader coaching behavior and creative problem-solving. The research indicates that the mediation can better explain the mechanism of leader coaching behavior on creative problem-solving, which not only enriches and extends the scope of related leadership, but also provides a beneficial enlightenment to the employee innovation management practice.

Key words: leader coaching behavior, psychological safety, critical thinking, creative problem-solving