The Dark Side of Transformational Leader Behaviors for Leaders Themselves: A Conservation of Resources Perspective

The vast majority of theory and research to date on transformational leadership has focused on how transformational leader behaviors influence followers, portraying those behaviors as unequivocally beneficial. We pivot from this predominant focus to a focus on the detriments of transformational leader behaviors for leaders themselves. Drawing from conservation of resources theory, we propose that although transformational leader behaviors produce gains for both leaders and followers, those behaviors also trigger losses for leaders themselves. The results of two experience-sampling studies, whereby leaders and their followers completed weekly surveys for six weeks, revealed that transformational leader behaviors were associated with increases in leader emotional exhaustion and subsequent leader turnover intentions, and these detrimental consequences occurred over and above benefits to followers (Study 1) and benefits to leaders themselves (Study 2). Furthermore, the extent to which transformational leader behaviors were associated with increases in emotional exhaustion depended upon attributes of followers, such that leaders experienced greater increases in emotional exhaustion when their transformational leader behaviors were directed toward followers low in conscientiousness (Study 1) and competence (Study 2). Overall, our work provides answers to both why and under what conditions the dark side of transformational leader behaviors is likely to appear.