The Relationship Among Dysfunctional Leadership Dispositions, Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Burnout

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine, from the subordinate's perspective, the relationship of dysfunctional leadership dispositions to employee engagement, job satisfaction and burnout. Design/methodology/approach: A field study survey was used to capture three categories of dysfunctional dispositions and three employee variables from employees engaged in dyadic relationships with leaders. Multiple regression analysis was used to test relationships hypothesized to exist between dysfunctional behaviors and employee engagement, job satisfaction, and burnout. Findings: Leadership factors associated with intimidation and avoiding others have a significant relationship with employee engagement, job satisfaction, and burnout. In this case, factors associated with charm, manipulation, ingratiation, and building alliances appear unrelated to employee engagement, job satisfaction, and burnout. Practical limitations/implications: Although a framework for examining dysfunctional leadership was used in this study, there may be other frameworks of equal or greater merit that elucidate the relationship between dysfunctional leader dispositions and employee engagement, job satisfaction, and burnout. Multisource data are especially encouraged to overcome the limitations of data collected from one source. Practical implications: Dysfunctional dispositions may produce significant behaviors in leaders that influence an employee's ability to function in an organization and jeopardize organizational success. More extensive scrutiny of both overt and covert dysfunctional dispositions should occur during the leader-hiring process and for succession planning in order to prevent the ascension of highly dysfunctional leaders. Originality/value: While many studies explore the functional side of leadership, few examine the relationship between overt and covert dysfunctional leader dispositions and employee engagement, job satisfaction, and burnout from the subordinate's perspective.