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Featuring insights from Dr. Armin Pircher Verdorfer researcher and co-developer of the Exploitative Leadership Scale
In leadership studies, much of the focus has traditionally centered on overtly toxic behaviors—aggression, hostility, and harassment. But what about the subtler, often overlooked forms of negative leadership that permeate many work environments? Today, we shed light on exploitative leadership, a more pervasive yet less extreme form of destructive leadership that has far-reaching consequences for both employees and organizations.
About the Scale
An exploitative leader is “essentially self-interested and treats followers as a means to self-serving ends” (Schmid et al, 2019). At its core, exploitative leadership is a leader’s tendency to manipulate their position of power for personal gain while neglecting the growth, well-being, and fair treatment of their team members. This behavior is often subtle, manifesting in ways that can be easily dismissed as part of workplace norms. The Exploitative Leadership scale, developed by Schmid, Pircher, and Peus (2019), offers a structured framework to capture employees’ perceptions of these behaviors, focusing on five critical dimensions:
- General Egoism – Leaders acting primarily in their own self-interest.
- Taking Credit – Appropriating or undervaluing the contributions of others.
- Exerting Pressure – Using coercive tactics to achieve outcomes.
- Undermining Development – Failing to provide opportunities for growth or deliberately hindering it.
- Manipulation – Subtly influencing others to serve personal agendas.
Why It Matters
While not as immediately damaging as overt hostility, exploitative leadership is a pervasive form of negative leadership uniquely associated with harmful outcomes. Recent studies have highlighted its detrimental effects on employee engagement and commitment. Employees subjected to these behaviors often report increased withdrawal and a sense of frustration and unfairness in their work environment. The relationship between leaders and their teams becomes tainted with a lack of trust, reciprocity, and respect, leading to heightened dissatisfaction.
Practical Implications for Leaders
Understanding and measuring exploitative leadership behaviors is critical. Organizations can no longer afford to overlook these subtleties. This scale, developed to assess perceptions of exploitative leadership, serves as an essential tool for both employees and leaders. By bringing these behaviors into the open, it helps identify imbalances that might otherwise go unaddressed.
For leaders, the insights derived from this scale offer a mirror. It prompts the vital question: Are my actions perceived as exploitative? Sometimes, behaviors intended to drive performance—such as exerting pressure or taking credit for team successes—can unintentionally foster feelings of exploitation. Leaders who reflect on their scores from the scale can take proactive steps to adjust their behaviors, fostering healthier, more reciprocal relationships with their teams.
Actionable Steps to Improve Leadership
So, what can leaders do if they find themselves scoring higher on the exploitative dimensions of the scale?
- Foster Transparency – Open communication about decisions, credit distribution, and team contributions can build trust and clarify intent.
- Encourage Development – Take an active role in your team members’ growth. Provide opportunities for skill development and mentorship.
- Share Success – Acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of individuals within the team, ensuring credit is given where it’s due.
- Reframe Pressure – Rather than relying on coercion, focus on creating environments where intrinsic motivation thrives.
Research Insights and Next Steps
Recent research has drawn parallels between exploitative leadership and more extreme forms of negative leadership, such as overt aggression and hostility. The difference lies in perception. Though exploitative behaviors are more subtle, the outcome—diminished employee well-being, a sense of unfairness, and disengagement—can be just as damaging.
By understanding and addressing exploitative leadership behaviors, organizations can take concrete steps toward building healthier work environments, boosting employee morale, and improving overall leadership effectiveness.
About the scale authors
Dr. Armin Pircher Verdorfer and Prof. Dr. Ellen Schmid have collaborated extensively on research into exploitative leadership, advancing its conceptualization and measurement. Their joint work provides valuable insights into the darker side of leadership and its implications on employee well-being and organisational dynamics.
Dr. Armin Pircher Verdorfer is an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Co-Director of the Amsterdam Center for Responsible Leadership. His research focuses on leadership ethics, organisational behaviour, and change management. Dr. Pircher Verdorfer’s work has been published in leading international journals and has earned him recognition in the field of organisational psychology.
Prof. Dr. Ellen Schmid is a Professor of Responsible Leadership at Munich Business School. She studied psychology at the University of Bamberg and the University of London, and previously headed the Center for Digital Leadership Development at TUM. Her research focuses on leadership development in the digital world, with publications in leading journals such as the Journal of Management.
