A Comprehensive Analysis of Dysfunctional Leadership & its Impacts

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of dysfunctional leadership, defining it as the ineffectiveness of followed leadership styles, leading to negative impacts on business operations. It explores the reasons for the emergence of dysfunctional leadership based on the toxic triangle model, which includes destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and a conducive environment. The essay discusses the characteristics of destructive leaders, such as personal charisma and autocratic nature, and how they contribute to ineffective management. It also examines the role of fear, coercion, and unstable working environments in fostering dysfunctional leadership. Furthermore, the essay highlights the significant impacts of dysfunctional leadership on employee commitment, the emergence of conflict in the workplace, and the absence of trust. It concludes that dysfunctional leadership negatively affects both employee performance and organizational productivity, emphasizing the importance of effective leadership styles for organizational success.

Running head: LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT
Leadership management
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Introduction
There are different analysis being done over the positive impacts of the leadership on the
employees and organizational performance. In addition, in the current business scenario,
understanding the leadership concept is more important due to the reason that it helps in gaining
competitive advantages for the organizations. However, on the other hand, it should also be
noted that apart from the positive impacts of the leadership in the organizations, there are number
of negative impacts can also get emerged in the process (Simonet & Tett, 2013). This is due to
the reason that if the leadership styles and processes are not effective, then it will adversely
affect the entire organizational practices and productivity. In this case, it is should be noted that
leadership with having negative impact on the organization is being termed as dysfunctional
leadership. There is good number of information being available for the effective styles of
leadership but information in relation to the dysfunctional style of leadership is less.
This paper will discuss about the concept of the dysfunctional leadership along with the
basic reasons for their emergence. In addition, the impact of them on the organization and
employees will also be discussed based on different theories and models.
Dysfunctional leadership – concept
There are different styles or approaches of leadership being followed in different
organizations and each of these styles are having different utilities. However, irrespective of the
features and advantages of these styles, if the end outcome is not favorable and causing negative
impact on the business operation, then it can be termed as dysfunctional leadership. Thus, it can
be concluded that dysfunctional leadership is not another type or style of leadership; rather it
denotes the ineffectiveness of the followed leadership styles. As per Jha and Jha (2015),

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emergence of the dysfunctional leadership will lead to the leaders of the particular organization
to be blamed for. This is due to the reason that dysfunctional leaders are not having the
eligibility, skills or expertise in managing the organizational resources and driving through the
challenges. Thus, with the initiation of this factor, the root level elements for gaining competitive
advantages get affected in the long term. The following sections will discuss about the major
causes for the emergence of the dysfunctional leadership.
Reasons for emergence of dysfunctional leadership
There are major reasons being identified for the emergence of the dysfunctional
leadership in the organization as per the toxic triangle model. According to the toxic triangle
model, destructive leaders, susceptible followers and conducive working environment are the
major reasons for the emergence of the dysfunctional leadership. According to Mehta and
Maheshwari (2013), there are certain characters of the destructive leaders that can cause in the
adverse impact on the organization. For instance, personal charisma is one of the major
characteristics of the destructive leaders which states that due to the huge attention being gained
by the charismatic leaders, there are number of instances being identified where their personal
interests got more valuation over the organizational interests. As per the authors, this led to
ineffective management of the internal stakeholders in the workplace. Moreover, the authors
have also stated that charismatic leaders are having the preferences for exaggerating the
information to the external stakeholders and blaming the other organizational factors in case of
any failures. Thus, the roles and responsibilities to be undertaken by the leaders are not being
followed by a few charismatic leaders, which cause adverse impact on the business. On the other
hand, it is stated by Will, Haidig and Platje (2015) that destructive leaders are more autocratic
nature and they tend to less involve the other stakeholders in the organizational affairs and

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decision making process. This is due to the reason that the publicity being gained by some of the
leaders along with the authoritative powers they enjoy is causing higher power distance between
them and other stakeholders. Hence, the issues and challenges for the lower level of internal
stakeholders are not being communicated to the leaders and the vision of the leaders is not
compatible with the employees. In addition to this, the abuse of power and authority by some of
the leaders are also causing issues with the employees.
Lastly, it is stated by Mehta and Maheshwari (2014) that ideology of hate being
communicated by the destructive leaders can also have negative impact on the business. This is
due to the reason that there are majorly two employee management approaches to be followed by
the leaders with one being the employee oriented approach and the other being the outcome
oriented approach. In the case of the destructive leaders, outcome oriented approach is being
majorly followed. In the line of this approach, competition between the employees is being
promoted by them and a negative theme is being maintained. For instance, employees are being
trained in competing and getting ahead of their co-workers at any cost even with the involvement
of the unethical practices. The authors have given a number of instances mainly of the political
leaders who can be termed as the communicator of hate. Thus, it can be concluded that
destructive leaders with their adverse personal traits will led to the emergence of dysfunctional
leadership in the workplace.
Apart from the destructive leaders, there are some other reasons also being given by
different authors for the emergence of dysfunctional leadership. As per the Rose et al., (2015),
fear and coercion among the followers and subordinates can also lead to the emergence of
dysfunctional leadership. This is due to the reason that if the followers are in the state of threat in
following the leader, then the leaders will have any requirements or motivation for effective

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management of the subordinates. In addition, the more coercion and fear will cover the
followers, the more will be the autocratic approach of the leaders. For example, majority of the
African countries are starved and under developed and being ruled by the autocratic and
corrupted leaders. This is due to the lack of voice from the followers and lower sets of bargaining
power for them. Thus, as per the authors, it can be concluded that unmet needs of the followers
and fear will contribute to the emergence of the dysfunctional leadership.
According to the toxic triangle model, the last factor in emergence of dysfunctional
leadership is conducive environment in the workplace. This refers to the fact that if the internal
organizational situation is not favorable enough, then it will also have negative impact on the
leadership styles. According to Mathieu et al. (2014), if the working situation or environment in
the organization is not stable, then it will lead to the emergence of the autocratic power of the
leaders. This is due to the reason that instable working environment will demand quick action
from the side of the leaders and stringent actions to be taken by the leaders will be perceived as
positive. Thus, this is another reason for the emergence of the dysfunctional leadership in place.
Furthermore, it is stated by Furnham, Hyde and Trickey (2014) that cultural factors in the
workplace also influence the emergence of the dysfunctional leadership. This is due to the reason
that there are different cultures where power distance and hierarchy levels are being promoted. In
this case, the leadership approach and style will be autocratic in nature. In addition, it should also
be noted that in the case of cultural factors, even if the autocratic style of leadership is not
effective based on a particular organizational situations, still it will be preferred by the major
sections in accordance to the dominant cultural traits. Hence, it can be concluded that as per the
toxic triangle, the above three are the major reasons for the emergence of dysfunctional
leadership.

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Impacts of the dysfunctional leadership
One of the major impacts of the dysfunctional leadership will be in terms of the employee
commitment. This is due to the reason that dysfunctional leadership will not consider the views
of the employees in the organizational affairs. According to Higgs and Dulewicz (2016), it is the
responsibilities of the leaders to meet the different needs of the employees in the workplace.
These needs are the requirements and expectations of the employees from their workplace. As
per the Maslow’s theory of needs, there are different types of needs ranging from the basic safety
needs to the self esteem needs, which should be fulfilled by the leaders in order to motivate and
engage them in their workplace. However, the authors have stated that dysfunctional leaders will
not be able to meet these needs of the employees due to the fact that involvement of the
employees will be less in the decision making process initiated by the dysfunctional leaders. This
will cause reduction in the productivity of the employees in their workplace, which will further
reduce the average organizational productivity.
Another major impact of the dysfunctional leadership is the fear of conflict that can get
emerged in the workplace. This is due to the reason that if the feedback and views of the
employees are not being considered in the decision making process, then the chances of
emergence of conflict will be more. According to Osland and Bird (2013), if the connection and
coordination between the managers or leaders and the employees is not effective and favorable
enough, then it will lead to the emergence of conflict between the internal stakeholders. The
authors have also stated that according to the Herzberg’s two factors theory, if the hygiene and
motivator factors are not being considered, then the employees will get demoralized. In
accordance to this theory, all the elements and strategies in relation to the human resource
management should be initiated on the basis of individual traits of the employees. However, the

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authors have stated that in the case of the dysfunctional leadership, the human resource strategies
will be initiated solely by the leaders without the involvement of others. Hence, the chances of
emergence of conflict between the internal stakeholders will be more as per the Herzberg two
factors theory.
The last impact of the dysfunctional leadership is in the forms of absence of trust. This is
due to the reason that in the case of the dysfunctional leadership, outcome in major cases remain
negative and only having short term gains. Moreover, the ill treatment of the employees may also
cause the absence of trust from the side of them. According to Storey (2016), in the case of the
dysfunctional leadership, chances of emergence of conflict are high given the fact that cultural
preferences are towards it. In this case, the author has given the example of the under developed
African countries where the civil war is affecting their economy. This is being stated that even
though the cultural preferences in these countries are towards higher power distance and
hierarchy level but still common people are protesting against the autocratic leader after the
certain period of time. This denotes that the cultural factors will influence the followers to accept
the emergence of power and authority in the form of leadership but the chances of emergence of
conflict will remain high. Thus, the more will be the conflict between the internal stakeholders in
the organizations, the more will be their adverse impact on the business productivity and
effectiveness.
Conclusion
This can be concluded that dysfunctional leadership cannot be termed as another form of
leadership styles but it denotes their ineffectiveness and limitations. In this paper, the different
reasons for the emergence of dysfunctional leadership are being discussed on the basis of the

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toxic triangle model and three major reasons are being identified. In addition, the major impacts
of the dysfunctional leadership are also identified in thus paper. It is seen that due to the
generation of dysfunctional leadership, both the employee performance and organizational
productivity will get affected along with the demoralization of the employees in their workplace.
Moreover, it is also being identified that chances of generation of conflict is more in the case of
dysfunctional leadership and thus the stakeholder management process will also get affected.

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Reference
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