MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Bad Apples or Bad Leaders?

Leaders typically take responsibility when employees perform poorly but not when employees behave badly. It’s like there’s an unwritten rule that protects leaders when employees engage in deviant workplace behavior. Perhaps this protection stems from the notion that it isn’t fair to hold leaders accountable for the actions of a few bad apples.

Our research suggests that surprisingly often, this view of workplace deviance is misguided. We’ve found that leaders have a strong effect on whether employees engage in deviant behaviors. Thus, when employees act badly, their leaders would be wise to take a step back and consider whether and how they may be complicit in that behavior.

About the Author

Charn P. McAllister (@charnmcallister) is the director of Northern Arizona University’s Institute for Public and Professional Ethics in Leadership and an assistant professor of management in the W.A. Franke College of Business. Jeremy D. Mackey is an associate professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Harbert College of Business at Auburn University. B. Parker Ellen III (@bpellen3) is an assistant professor of management in the College of Business at Mississippi State University. Katherine C. Alexander is an assistant professor of management in the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago.

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