Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Lecture Notes
Chapter 14: Exploring Destructive Leadership
Learning Objectives
1. Describe three defining components of destructive leadership
2. Analyze methods for addressing toxic leadership through the perspectives of leaders,
followers, and context
Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
A. Destructive leaders in history: Adolf Hitler in Germany, President Bashar Al-
Assad in Syria, Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Catholic Church and the sexual
abuse of children by priests, Dr. Larry Nassar at Michigan State University are a
few examples.
II. Destructive Leadership Explained
A. Definition
i. Characteristics of destructive leaders.
a. Excessive use of power, control, or influence.
b. Has a selfish quality.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
B. Toxic Triangle
i. Destructive Leaders
a. Traits of destructive leaders:
• Charisma.
ii. Susceptible Followers
a. Two groups of susceptible followers:
• Conformers: They conform because they lack a clearly
defined self-concept and fear what will happen if they do
not follow. Essentially characterized by unmet basic needs,
negative self-evaluations, and immaturity.
iii. Conducive Environments
a. Instability: In times of crisis and confusion, there is a need for
stability to be restored as quickly as possible.
• Easier to assert power: It is easier to assert more power when
rules and systemic structures are not clearly established.
b. Perceived threats: People naturally want to be protected from threats
that can occur on many levels, including physically, socially, or
financially.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
c. Cultural values: Broadly speaking, certain general values in society
can increase the likelihood of destructive leadership, such as:
• Avoidance of uncertainty: Societies, (e.g., Japan), rely on
established social norms, rituals, and procedures to avoid
uncertainty.
d. Absence of checks, balances, institutionalization:
• Principle of checks and balances: This refers to the way
power and influence are shared in an organizational system.
III. Confronting Destructive Leadership in Practice
A. How not to “practice” leadership: It is concerned with how to restrain toxic
leaders and how to change leadership from destructive to constructive.
B. Combating destructive leadership:
developing strategies to combat destructive leadership.
C. Leaders
i. Getting rid of destructive leaders is hard because they possess charisma,
power, narcissistic leanings, and psychological needs.
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 5e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
D. Followers
i. Be a whistleblower: Disrupt destructive leadership by speaking out. This
requires courage and fortitude.
ii. Staff development helps address the problem of destructive leadership
because it trains and builds individuals to be better leaders.
iii. Address psychological factors that make followers susceptible to bad
leaders.
a. Followers need to be convinced of their strength and capabilities,
need to accept uncertainly as natural and necessary, need to value
their sense of self, need to have the courage to speak out.
E. Context
i. One needs to create a strong system of checks and balances among
different organizational units because the leader then shares power with
followers and accepts being monitored by followers regarding use of
power.