ABSTRACT
In their discussion of the dark side of charisma and the conditions leading to toxic leadership, Padilla, Hogan, and Kaiser (2007) noted that while leadership scholars and researchers have recognized the existence of destructive leaders, they typically treated this phenomenon at best as an anomaly or exception and, instead, focused on the positive aspects of great leaders. For example, examining the downside of excessive charisma, Howell and Avolio (1992, p. 44) warned about “blind fanaticism in the service of megalomaniacs and dangerous values,” Sankowsky (1995, p. 57) discussed how narcissists “abuse power,” Conger (1990, p. 44) referred to “problematic or even disastrous outcomes,” and O'Connor, Mumford, Clifton, Gessner, and Connelly (1995, p. 529) pointed to “destructive acts” and noted that some charismatic leaders “may be more interested in personal outcomes.”
