Why Destructive Leadership Persists Despite Being Largely Preventable

Survey evidence indicated that most managers felt ill-prepared to communicate with staff (Harris Poll & Interact, 2019), and only a fraction possessed the naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior needed for effective leadership (Gallup, 2015). When supervisory behavior becomes harmful, the consequences include spiraling stress, clinical anxiety, and major talent loss (Tepper, 2000; Nahum-Shani, Henderson, Lim, & Vinokur, 2014). This article reviews the prevalence of destructive leadership, analyzes its psychological and economic costs, and synthesizes the most recent empirical findings on how leadership either steadies or destabilizes groups during adversity. It also explains why poorly equipped “accidental” managers persist and distills evidence-based remedies that combine rigorous selection, skills training, self-awareness practices, and redesigned remote-work protocols. Read on.