'Jekyll and Hyde' bosses can harm employee morale, productivity: Study
A recent study by researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology has found that bosses who switch between abusive and charming behavior, can severely hurt employee morale and job performance. The study, led by Dr. Haoying Xu, an assistant professor of management in the Stevens School of Business, was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. It involved surveys and field experiments with over 650 full-time employees from the US and Europe.
Impact of unpredictable leadership styles
The study revealed that employees struggled when their bosses were abusive. But the adverse effect was even more severe when bosses unpredictably oscillated between abusive and ethical leadership styles. Dr. Xu explained, "If you're constantly guessing which boss will turn up—the good cop or the bad cop—then you wind up emotionally exhausted, demoralized, and unable to work to your full potential."
'Jekyll and Hyde' leadership affects entire team
The research also found that this inconsistent leadership style could harm employees even if they weren't directly exposed to the leader's erratic behavior. When a boss' own superior exhibited such unpredictable behavior, it created further uncertainty and eroded employees' confidence in their immediate supervisor's capabilities. Dr. Xu noted, "In today's workplaces, employees are very attuned to their supervisors' relationships with more senior leaders." "If that relationship becomes unpredictable....it can cause real problems for the whole team," he added.
Intermittent abusive behavior is toxic for organizations
The study emphasized that leaders trying to make up for their occasional bad behavior could do more damage to their employees. Dr. Xu noted, "Organizations tend to intervene when bosses are consistently abusive, but are more tolerant of leaders whose abusive behavior only shows through from time to time." He added that this research demonstrates intermittent bad behavior can be more damaging for organizations than consistent abuse.
Strategies to counter inconsistent leadership
To fight such leadership, Dr. Xu advised organizations to listen to employees' concerns and hold leaders accountable for their sporadic abusive behavior. He also advised to consider anger management coaching for leaders showing signs of volatility. "This kind of intermittent abusive leadership tends to be impulsive," Dr. Xu said, adding, "That means there's scope to reduce or eliminate it by helping leaders to manage their tempers and improve their impulse control."
