Leaders who alternate between good and bad behavior cause more workplace damage than consistently abusive bosses, new research says.
Why it matters: This finding challenges conventional wisdom about workplace leadership and toxic behavior. Organizations typically focus on addressing consistently bad leaders while potentially overlooking the more damaging impact of inconsistent leadership styles.
- Traditional workplace interventions target openly abusive leaders but often ignore those who display intermittent bad behavior.
Key finding: Employees suffer greater emotional exhaustion and performance decline when dealing with unpredictable “Jekyll-and-Hyde” leadership compared to consistently negative leadership.
“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.”
Dr. Haoying Xu, Assistant Professor at Stevens School of Business
The process:
- Researchers surveyed 650+ full-time employees across the US and Europe
- Study examined both direct and indirect impacts of inconsistent leadership behavior
Keep in mind: The negative effects extend beyond direct reports – when senior leaders display Jekyll-and-Hyde behavior, it erodes employee confidence in middle management too.
Real-world impact: Organizations need to:
- Implement stronger accountability for sporadic abusive behavior
- Consider anger management coaching for volatile leaders
- Take seriously employee complaints about inconsistent leadership
TL;DR
- Unpredictable leadership behavior causes more workplace damage than consistent bad leadership.
- The negative impact of Jekyll-and-Hyde leadership affects entire teams, not just direct reports.
- Organizations need new approaches to address intermittent toxic behavior, as traditional interventions target only consistently abusive leaders.
Dive Deeper
Read the Paper: Jekyll and Hyde leadership: Examining the direct and vicarious experiences of abusive and ethical leadership through a justice variability lens.
News Release: “Jekyll and Hyde” leaders do lasting damage, new research shows