When Arrogance Breeds Gossip: How Resilience Protects Organizations from Leadership Decay

What is it about?

This study explores how arrogant leadership—leaders who overvalue their abilities and dismiss others—can trigger harmful changes in organizations. It examines how such behavior leads employees to see their leaders as inconsistent or unreliable, which then provokes negative gossip about them. The study also considers how employees’ resilience, or their ability to recover from adversity, can buffer against this destructive cycle. Using data from employees and their peers in Pakistan’s banking and telecommunication sectors, the study finds that arrogant leaders trigger a ripple effect across organizations. When employees view such leaders as hypocritical or self-contradictory, they are more likely to gossip about their flaws, spreading negativity and distrust. This behavior harms both leadership credibility and workplace harmony. However, resilient employees are less prone to gossip, managing frustration and maintaining professionalism despite poor leadership. For organizations, these results highlight the importance of developing resilience and fostering humility in leadership. Leadership training should emphasize self-awareness, respect for others, and consistent behavior. Simultaneously, employee development programs should strengthen resilience to help staff cope with disappointing or arrogant leaders without resorting to counterproductive gossip. Encouraging open, respectful communication and building psychological safety can prevent arrogance from infecting workplace culture.

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Photo by Taylor Nicole on Unsplash

Photo by Taylor Nicole on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in detailing how arrogant leadership undermines organizational stability by stimulating perceptions of inconsistency and gossip behavior, while showing how resilience mitigates this spiral. It advances understanding of how destructive leadership traits indirectly fuel toxic communication patterns within teams. Its timeliness lies in addressing a growing organizational concern in Pakistan and globally: how overconfident, self-serving leaders can quietly damage team dynamics. By identifying resilience as a key protective factor, the study provides actionable guidance for organizations striving to maintain trust, cohesion, and psychological health in the face of ego-driven leadership.