The Impact of Perceived Toxic Leadership on Cynicism in Officer Candidates

• Author: James M. Dobbs,James J. Do
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X17747204
• Published date: 01 January 2019
• Date: 01 January 2019
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

The Impact of Perceived

Toxic Leadership on

Cynicism in Officer

Candidates

James M. Dobbs

1

and James J. Do

1

Abstract

Organizational cynicism is a key factor in employee burnout, emotional exhaustion,

and turnover and directly reduces organizational citizenship behavior, commitment,

and effectiveness. Still, little empirical research examines antecedents of organiza-

tional cynicism. This study applies a dark side of leadership framework from an

organizational and leadership perspective to examine the relationship between

perceived toxic leadership and organizational cynicism in a military educational

environment. Survey and interview data were used to assess the relationship

between toxic leadership and organizational cynicism as reported by U.S. Air Force

Academy cadets. Results demonstrate a positive relationship between toxic lead-

ership and organizational cynicism, such that those who report having leaders with

toxic characteristics are likely to have more negative attitudes toward their orga-

nization. Self-promotion emerged as the sole significant toxic leadership dimension

predicting cynicism. Group differences in perceived toxic leadership are found for

race but not for gender or amount of time within the organization.

Keywords

leadership, toxic leadership, cynicism, officer development

1

Department of Behav ioral Sciences and L eadership, United S tates Air Force Acade my, Colorado

Springs, CO, USA

Corresponding Author:

James M. Dobbs, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Air Force Academy,

2354 Fairchild Dr. Ste 6L-101, Colorado Springs, CO 80840, USA.

Email: james.dobbs@usafa.edu

Armed Forces & Society

2019, Vol. 45(1) 3-26

ªThe Author(s) 2018

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X17747204

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The impacts of poor leadership and cynicism are increasingly recognized as prob-

lems in organizations. Chaloupka (1999) defines cynicism as the condition of lost

belief. Extending this to organizational cynicism captures an overarching lack of

faith and positive regard for one’s own organization. The problem of organizational

cynicism of employees is not limited to the workplace but rather is endemic across a

broad spectrum of organizations. Mistrust of institutions across multiple and diverse

sectors such as academia, government, financial institutions, big business, and the

military is more pervasive now than at any time since the era of the Great Depression

(Andersson & Bateman, 1997; Aydin & Akdag, 2016; Caldwell, 2006; Khan, 2014;

Kouzes & Posner, 1993; Tukelturk, 2012). Follower cynicism appears to be wide-

spread, and it negatively impacts the organizations tainted by it. The U.S. military is

an organization that is without a profit motivation and representative of an important

segment of the public sector. In recent years, the U.S. military has begun to recog-

nize the profound negative effects that cynicism and toxic leadership can have on the

maintenance of good order and discipline, and it has sought to increase understand-

ing of these phenomena (Fellman, 2012).

This study uses an organizational and leadership viewpoint and applies a “dark

side of leadership” framework to examine the relationship between toxic leadership

and organizational cynicism. Organizational cynicism is defined and distinguished

from other constructs. Next, theoretical frameworks are presented to explain how

organizational cynicism operates. The literature review then synthesizes seminal

works on toxic leadership. Analyses examine the effect of toxic leadersh ip and

organizational cynicism in the context of a U.S. military organization (i.e., the

U.S. Air Force Academy [USAFA]), with emphasis on differential effects by gender,

race/ethnicity, and year group. The study concludes with a discussion on how further

research in this topic could assist leaders in government and military organizations

to militate against the negative impact of cynicism on those institutions.

Cynicism in the Organization

Organizational cynicism is known to have negative effects on those who work for

the organization. Lost to cynicism is belief in the possibility of a change, improve-

ment, or betterment of current or future circumstances along with the ability to aspire

to a different state (Chaloupka, 1999). The hurt, disappointment, and anger that

follow unmet expectations and unfulfilled goals give rise to a perspective that is

overwhelmingly negative. As such, organizational cynics “agree that lying, putting

on a false face, and taking advantage of others are fundamental to human character”

and conclude people are “just out for themselves” and “such cynical attitudes about

life are paralleled in attitudes about work” (Mirvis & Kanter, 1992, pp. 50–52).

Thus, members who are cynical can influence an entire organization, reducing

productivity and even hindering an organization from reaching its goals. Organiza-

tional cynicism is emerging as a new paradigm resulting from a critical appraisal of

4Armed Forces & Society 45(1)