Which leadership factor encourages followers to embrace creativity and lifelong learning?

The option related to intellectual stimulation is correct because it specifically focuses on encouraging followers to engage in innovative thinking and to develop their skills through continuous learning. Leaders who exhibit this factor challenge their followers to think critically, explore new ideas, and approach problems with creativity, thus fostering an environment where followers feel empowered to take risks and come up with novel solutions.

Intellectual stimulation also emphasizes the importance of questioning assumptions and developing a deeper understanding of the work being done, which ultimately leads to personal and professional growth. This factor creates a culture where learning is valued, and followers are motivated to keep pushing their boundaries.

While the other factors—such as inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and idealized influence—play important roles in leadership, they do not specifically focus on the aspects of creativity and lifelong learning in the same way that intellectual stimulation does. Inspirational motivation primarily motivates and inspires followers toward a shared vision, individualized consideration emphasizes understanding and addressing the needs of individuals, and idealized influence relates to gaining respect and trust. Hence, none of these capture the essence of fostering creativity and ongoing learning as effectively as intellectual stimulation.