This study presents a revolutionary understanding of how value-based leadership enhances the intrinsic work motivation of Chinese university faculty. A novel serial mediation model is introduced, highlighting the interplay between growth mindset and teaching self-efficacy in transmitting the impact of leadership to increased intrinsic motivation. Utilizing a comprehensive sample of 394 faculty members from across China, advanced SmartPLS 3.0 analytics were employed to validate the model. The results demonstrate a significant positive effect of value-based leadership on faculty intrinsic motivation, partially mediated by the sequential influence of nurturing a growth mindset and strong teaching self-efficacy. The findings provide fresh theoretical perspectives and practical strategies for researchers, university leaders, administrators, and policymakers seeking to elevate the intrinsic work motivation of China's academic faculty to new levels.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.