Destructive Leaders
When reviewing this article, consider the traits a destructive leader exhibits to stifle innovation in organizations. Have you ever experienced a destructive leader? How can you avoid being a destructive leader in your workplace?
The caring climate
An ethical climate is a specific
type of an organizational climate. According to Martin and Cullen, an ethical climate involves "the perception of what
constitutes correct behaviour, and as such, it becomes the psychological
mechanism by which the ethical issues are managed". The concept
includes a set of procedures, policies, and organisational practices
that have moral content and consequences.
Thus, the ethical climate influences the decision-making and behavioural
responses to ethical dilemmas and, as a consequence, it is reflected in
many organisational outcomes. Victor and
Cullen's seminal works on this topic proposes an empirically tested
typology of ethical climates, based on two dimensions: (a) "ethical
criterion", grounded in the dominant moral philosophy in
decision-making, includes egoism, benevolence, and principle; (b) "locus
of analysis", used in reaching decisions, includes individual,
local/organizational, and cosmopolitan.
The "caring climate" is
one of the nine climates identified and is the only one considered in
this study. Caring climate is related to benevolence (ethical
criterion), both individual and organizational (locus). When
organizations have this type of climate, decision-making is based on
care and concern for the welfare of others. The caring climate tends to
discourage destructive behaviours since it is focused on the decisions
that result in the best for everyone in the organisations. The leaders'
behaviours establish, directly and indirectly, the ethical climate of
organisations through encouragement, rewards, or actions. The leader is a role model capable of influencing the
ethical conduct of employees. Caring climate
tends to encourage those behaviours that result in what is best for the
majority of people in organisations. Generally, caring climates are the
most preferred ones. Thus:
H2. Destructive leadership is negatively related to a caring climate.
The
caring climate can influence many organisational outcomes, including
innovation. Although the research has considered organisational climate
to be a determinant of innovation, few studies examine the relationship
between a caring climate and organisational innovation. Deshpande concludes that a
caring climate has a positive effect on employees' satisfaction with
their supervisors. Choi et al. report that a caring climate is
positively related to organisational innovation. Therefore:
H3. Caring climate is positively related to behavioural innovation.
Mayer
et al. point out that the ethical climate can have a mitigating
role in the relationship between ethical leadership and employees'
behaviour. Thus, when leaders adopt an ethical behaviour (i.e., they
show integrity, fairness, reliability and concern for others), they
create a supportive environment for a high caring climate. Accordingly:
H4. Caring climate mitigates the relationship between destructive leadership and behavioural innovation.