OA

Coping with destructive leadership behaviour: a qualitative study of non-physical abuse in south african companies

The research focused on destructive leadership from the vantage point of followers and the complicated dynamic between leader and follower. The main objective of this research was to explore followers’ direct experiences with destructive leadership in South African organisational contexts and the coping strategies they employed to engage with this behaviour. The study was also interested in follower perceptions of the characteristics of destructive leadership behaviour and explored whether participants’ psychological capital played a role in their coping process. The study adopted a qualitative approach, complemented by quantitative data. The findings indicate that the managers’ perceived destructive leadership styles had consequences for the participants, the managers themselves, and the work unit, affecting the execution of tasks, attainment of goals, and the well-being of other team members in the work unit. To cope with the negative relationship, participants deployed various coping strategies that were accomplished with varying degrees of effectiveness. Participants’ perceptions of the relational authenticity with the leader played a role in determining the managers’ behaviour as destructive, and in coping with the destructive leader behaviour. The findings indicate that participants’ psychological capital may have played a role in coping with the managers’ destructive leadership style.