The Dark Side of Leadership: A Cross-Cultural Compendium: With Lessons for Leaders

The corporate landscape is rife with instances of leaders who have left a trail of sinister outcomes.

In the last three decades, the research in leadership and organisational sciences has expanded in theoretical and typological breadth to include the dark side. These works have aimed at uncovering the complex interplay of personalities, power dynamics, and organisational cultures that can lead to destructive and unethical behaviours in the workplace. While there are volumes of literature on leadership, there is a dearth of research that integrates dark leadership and cross-cultural norms, perspectives, variances, and interventions. The Dark Side of Leadership: A Cross-Cultural Compendium is a collaborative and transdisciplinary venture that draws on the knowledge and experiences of practitioners and scholars across the globe to explore the contentious and evolving subject of dark leadership. The primary consideration of this book is to explore dark side leadership conceptualisations and manifestations across contexts and provide insights into traits, processes, and outcomes, as well as interventionist paradigms. Hofstede’s research demonstrates the fundamental role of national and organisational culture in shaping leadership behaviour. This book comprehensively documents cross-cultural cases, perspectives, and research on the dark side of leadership.

Adebukola Oyewunmi is the founder of and lead trainer at Characom Leadership Consulting. An advocate of the bright side of leadership, she has facilitated notable local and international workshops on leadership effectiveness in the private and public sectors. She has years of experience working as a banking consultant in one of the United Kingdom’s major financial institutions. She holds master’s and doctorate degrees in strategic human resource management and industrial relations. Her research interests include leadership development, organisational psychology, and ethical behaviour. Her collaborations span Africa, Europe, and North and South America. She is a facilitator of Global Futures Literacy Network and has served as an assessor for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a programme funded by the United States Government. She is an associate editor and a member of the editorial board of two reputable international journals. She is an academic fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and currently lectures at the Teesside University International Business School, United Kingdom.

Gill Owens is a highly experienced chartered psychologist with an impressive professional trajectory spanning over 40 years. Her extensive expertise encompasses both the private and public sectors, as well as higher education. Throughout her career, she has embarked on the successful launch, operation, and sale of businesses, underscoring her entrepreneurial flair while honing her robust business acumen. Her fascination with dark leadership stemmed from her encounters with senior organisational leaders who showcased a markedly distinct leadership style from her supportive approach. Her transition into academia provided the perfect platform for her to delve deeper into this area of interest, evolving it into a central theme in her research. Furthermore, she conducted engaging seminars with MBA students, integrating her practical insights to deliver interactive sessions. At the core of all her professional pursuits, she has consistently upheld the value of demonstrating kindness. This ethical and compassionate approach has not only underpinned her decision-making but also greatly informed her teaching and research endeavours.

Ogechi Adeola is a professor of marketing and deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Kigali, Rwanda. She holds an adjunct professorship at Torrens University Australia. Her research has been published in top journals such as the Journal of International Business Studies, Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, Psychology and Marketing, and International Marketing Review. Her co-authored papers won Best Paper Awards at international conferences from 2016 to 2019 consecutively, and she received the prestigious Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Paper in 2022. She was honoured with the Most Influential Women 2024 Sustainability Award by the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) for her contributions to women’s empowerment and sustainable development. In 2025, the International Hospitality Institute (IHI) recognised her among the 50 Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality and Travel.