Killing the Myth of the Charismatic Leader

This project challenges the assumption that Charismatic Leadership is inherently good for organizations. Instead, we propose that Charismatic Leadership may be dangerous and that Humble Leadership is a much healthier and effective alternative. To date, we have developed a Humility scale and have collected test-retest data supporting links between Humility and Job Performance.

Intended Outcomes

The goal of this research is to help organizations identify, develop, and promote humble leaders who (a) acknowledge their mistakes and/or limitations, (b) show support and appreciation for their followers’ successes and strengths, and (c) keep an open mind with respect to continuing professional learning and considering alternate views.