Nomological network

Engineering

Philosophy

Leadership development

Social psychology

Public relations

Body of knowledge

Neuroleadership

Computer science

Structural equation modeling

Empirical research

Systematic review

Physics

Psychology

Leadership studies

Astronomy

Political science

Epistemology

Great Rift

Meta-analysis

Internal medicine

Sociology

MEDLINE

Medicine

Operationalization

Knowledge management

Shared leadership

Leadership style

Foundation (evidence)

Machine learning

Engineering ethics

Journal of Business Research

The destructive leadership literature has grown remarkably in recent years. Although the field has generated an impressive body of knowledge, we still have an incomplete understanding of destructive leadership. We conduct a systematic literature review of destructive leadership research so we can create a solid foundation for knowledge production and theory development within this literature. Further, we draw from 418 empirical samples of data (k = 418, N = 123,511) to conduct random-effects meta-analyses that estimate the magnitude and direction of relationships within destructive leadership’s nomological network. Ultimately, our study leverages and integrates the many insights from the destructive leadership literature to advance knowledge, facilitate nuanced theory development, generate useful directions for future research, and create evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice.

The dark side of leadership: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of destructive leadership research