When Leadership Goes Wrong Destructive Leadership, Mistakes, and Ethical Failures

The leadership landscape has begun to shift. Researchers have started to realize that previous conceptualizations of leadership that focus only on the positive aspects of leadership are too narrow and may represent a romantic notion of leadership. A growing body of inquiry has emerged with a focus on the darker side of leadership. Allowing for the possibility that leaders can also do harm, either intentionally or unintentionally, broadens the scope of leadership studies and serves to increase the practical implications of leadership research. This book brings together contributions by scholars from several different countries addressing topics such as narcissistic and destructive leadership, ethical leadership and leader errors. Endorsement: "Most leadership research has been dominated by a positive, constructive perspective: namely, that leaders are a source of good, and that their efforts, when effective, produce positive outcomes. This book is perhaps the most comprehensive effort to date that challenges this perspective. I cannot think of a topic more deserving of a book, nor of a book better suited to address this vital topic. I recommend it not only to every researcher interested in leadership, but to all those interested "dark side" processes that operate in all organizations." --Timothy A. Judge, University of Florida, USA