Toxic Leadership and Followers’ Work Motivation: An Angolan Study

Abstract

Toxic leadership has detrimental effects on subordinates and has been associated with several negative outcomes in organizations. This research aims to study the effects of toxic leadership dimensions (abusive supervision, authoritarianism, narcissism, self-promotion and unpredictability) on followers’ work motivation by using Self-Determination Theory to approach work motivation. Angola faces significant social development challenges that are dependent upon the quality of leadership. Two hundred and nineteen people, aged 30 and 65 years, participated in this research from Angolan organizations in different industry sectors. The Toxic Leadership Scale and Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale were used. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. The narcissism dimension of toxic leadership and the identified regulation of work motivation had the highest scores. Leaders’ narcissism was positively correlated with external material and introjected motivation; self-promotion with introjected and intrinsic motivation. All dimensions of toxic leadership were positively correlated with amotivation. Finally, abusive supervision negatively predicts introjected regulation, and narcissism predicts positively material regulation of work motivation. These relationships were interpreted as the effect of toxic leadership dimensions on work motivation dimensions. Leadership development programs should focus on preventing toxic leadership in order to positively impact the followers’ autonomous regulation.