Discussion

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?

Our findings indicate that destructive leadership has a negative effect on employees' ability to adopt new ways of doing things, and thus it can prevent the formation of an innovative culture in organisations. This study shows that destructive leadership negatively affects behavioural innovation, since leaders that act in a harmful manner disencourage their subordinates to think creatively and to try new things. This conclusion is in line with previous reported studies.

The results show that destructive leadership is negatively associated with a caring climate. Assuming that a caring climate reflects an environment that obliges that decisions should take "the best for everyone" into consideration, decisions against such principle are seldom accepted. The study shows that within a caring climate context, destructive leadership has less chance of surviving. It appears that an organization sharing generous norms prevent the emergence of destructive leaders, through nurturing a caring climate.

By presenting a positive relationship between the caring climate and behavioural innovation, consistent with Choi et al., the results point out that a caring climate facilitates an innovation supportive environment. The combined analyses between the negative relationship between caring climate and destructive leadership, on the one hand, and the positive relationship between caring climate and behavioural innovation, on the other, reinforce the importance of promoting a caring climate as a fundamental organizational environment. Aiming to provide evidence in support of this proposal, this research contributes to literature by exploring the mitigating effect of the caring climate on the relationship between destructive leadership and behavioural innovation.

According to the literature, simply researching on the consequences of destructive leadership is not enough. It is also important to understand the context that frames "how" destructive leaders influence innovation. By exploring the mitigating effect of the caring climate on the relationship between destructive leadership and behavioural innovation, this study is valuing the context that frames "how" destructive leaders influence behavioural innovation. The results confirm the mitigating effect, showing that if an organization is focused on taking decisions for the best of everyone, then the negative impact on behavioural innovation of a destructive leader is attenuated.

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