Follower perceptions of benefits from destructive leadership for organisations operating in hostile environments

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this research was to establish whether destructive leaders are perceived by followers to be capable of driving beneficial outcomes for organisations, especially those operating in hostile external environments. For the purposes of this study a “hostile external environment” is/was construed to mean the uncertain socio-political milieu within which South African-based organisations or subsidiaries operate. From an economic point of view a “hostile economic environment” also refers to resource constraints or adverse circumstances directly attributable to macroeconomic policy and the implementation thereof. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research design was applied to explore this through a phenomenological research strategy. A semi-structured interview process was conducted to seek follower perceptions, whose feedback was thematically analysed to address the study’s research questions and objectives. Findings – The findings of this research indicate that positive contributions to organisational outcomes in hostile external environments are possible in the presence of destructive leadership styles. Research limitations/implications – The research was conducted within an emerging economy classified as presenting a hostile external environment to organisations operating there, namely South Africa. Originality/value – This research is original in its contextual focus on hostile external environments, and the interplay of destructive leadership with organisational outcomes especially those that are beneficial in such cases.