Predictors of destructive leadership and followers' responses to its manifestations

Dina Krasikova, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to validate the portion of the theoretical model of destructive leadership proposed in our earlier work. The emphasis was on the distinction between leader's pursuit of destructive goals and use of destructive actions, leader's perceived goal blockage as a situational trigger of destructive leadership, leader's personal characteristics that make leaders prone to engage in destructive leadership, and similarities and differences in followers' responses to the two manifestations of destructive leadership—destructive goals and destructive actions. As predicted, leaders with strong implicit aggression motive were more likely to perceive their personal goals being misaligned with goals of the organization and experience goal blockage by subordinates. Further, as expected, leaders were more likely to pursue destructive goals when their personal goals were misaligned with goals endorsed by the organization and were more likely to use destructive leadership style when their goals were thwarted by subordinates. However, goal blockage by subordinates was a stronger predictor of both destructive goal pursuit and use of destructive actions. Contrary to the hypotheses, leaders' manipulativeness and implicit motive to aggress did not strengthen the effect of goal blockage by organization on destructive goals, and the effect of goal blockage by subordinates on destructive actions, respectively. However, manipulative leaders were more likely to pursue destructive goals when their goal achievement was thwarted by subordinates. Finally, as hypothesized, followers were more likely to use avoidance, denial and coping than confrontation and advocacy-seeking strategies in response to both destructive goals and actions, although no differences in their reactions across the manifestations of destructive leadership were found.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

LeBreton, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Behavioral psychology|Social psychology

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