Research Spotlight: The Dark Side of Organizational Leadership in Brazil
“The Dark Side of Organizational Leadership in Brazil: Perception, Causes, and Consequences,” co-authored by Issam Ghazzawi (University of La Verne), Fengmei Gong (University of La Verne), Aldo Brunhara (International Business School Americas), and Ricardo Britto (International Business School Americas) has been published in the Global Journal of Business Disciplines.
This study surveyed 216 managers who participated in a professional development program. Participants were asked to to assess their perception and experience of destructive leadership behavior.
68% of the participants reported encountering a destructive leader at some point in their careers.
What is a destructive leader?
The most-cited behavior of a destructive leader was autocratic behavior, mentioned by nearly 80% of participants.
| Behavior | Percentage of participants who mentioned the behavior |
| Behaves in an autocratic way | 79.6% |
| Cannot effectively deal with subordinates | 73.0% |
| Displays inconsistent/erratic behavior | 66.0% |
| Demonstrates poor interpersonal behavior | 65.0% |
| Micromanages | 65.0% |
| Has poor ethics/integrity | 60.0% |
| Has poor communication skills | 60.0% |
| Displays poor personal behavior | 60.0% |
| Lacks strategic skills | 56.0% |
| Engages in excessive political behavior | 49.0% |
| Does not use technology appropriately | 34.0% |
What are the consequences of destructive leader behavior?
Participants reported that the behavior listed above negatively affected morale and motivation. Specifically,
- Themes of anxiety, depression, and stress appeared 87 times in the participants’ responses.
- Demotivation was mentioned 55 times.
- Toxic environments were cited 47 times.
- Job dissatisfaction was referenced 38 times.
- Burnout, turnover intention, and turnover collectively appeared 22 times.
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first empirical studies to explore the dark side of organizational leadership in Brazil, focusing on its perception, causes, and consequences.
Ghazzawi, I., Brunhara, A., Gong, F., & Britto, R. (2025). The Dark Side of Organizational Leadership in Brazil: Perception, Causes, and Consequences. Global Journal of Business Disciplines 9(1), 54-83.
