Unpleasant, dishonest and negligent bosses can mean poor outcomes for organizations and workgroups. However, new research also indicates that the employees they work with play an important role in this. Employee anxiety, self-esteem, and how leadership behavior is perceived can all influence the leader's influence on outcomes—and both followers and leaders can buffer against the effects of certain undesirable traits. This is according to new research.
Leadership and followership are crucial aspects of the functioning of organizations and can influence our society at all levels. Studies integrating leader personality traits and styles, follower personality traits and behaviors as well as their contexts are rare – and most studies focus on good qualities rather than “dark” leadership or followership.
The research highlights 'Three Nightmare Traits' at the heart of dark leadership:dishonesty, unkindness and nonchalance. Combined with a leader who is highly outgoing and low in emotionality, severe negative consequences for employees and organizations can occur, such as absenteeism, overthrow, stress and poor performance.
Using a range of techniques, ranging from experimental evidence to real-life observations, this study shows that certain characteristics together produce different outcomes.
For example, followers of high Machiavellianism use all possible means to achieve desired goals, such as hiding knowledge or using emotional manipulation. However, this negative behavior can be effectively reduced through ethical leadership:leaders demonstrate appropriate behavior through actions and interpersonal relationships.
Employee confidence is also related to how a leader's behavior is perceived and the consequences that follow. Narcissistic leaders were rated as more abusive by followers with low self-esteem and this in turn was related to lower employee performance and the experience of burnout symptoms.
The nuanced impact of destructive leadership was also assessed. For example, one study found that employees who feel abused by leaders have a higher urgency to leave the organization compared to those who experience embezzlement and exploitative leadership behavior. Another revealed that strict tyrannical leadership can lead to conflict between work and family, which in turn has to do with the emotional exhaustion of employees. In addition, this can get worse if the employee suffers from anxiety.
