Predictors of Unethical Willingness in Followers of Transformational/Charismatic Leaders

Abstract

The study examined demographic predictors of the established relationship between Charismatic/Transformational Leadership and a willingness in followers to engage in unethical pro-organizational behavior, finding that certain demographic characteristics in followers mediate this relationship, with implications for organizations to employ mitigation techniques. Six variables were analyzed in the study, including Participant Gender, Participant Age, Participant Job Tenure, Participant Income Level, Participant Job Enjoyment, & Strong Religious Belief. Two of these variables were found to be statistically significant predictors in the relationship between Charismatic/Transformational Leadership and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior (UPB), namely: (1) Participant Job Tenure and (2) Participant Income Level. The implications of this study are substantial in the ethical leadership discussion and broad across industries. While the tenets of Charismatic/Transformational Leadership include a high measure of ethical conduct, certain demographic predictors are shown to propel followers toward a willingness to act unethically. The results demonstrate that where transformational leadership is practiced, organizations should acknowledge these predictors of UPB and prepare measures to proactively mitigate the risk.