The impact of CEO arrogance on top management team attitudes

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to test the effects of CEO arrogance on key attitudes of a company's top management team (TMT). Design/Method/Approach -An experimental design involving a business simulationis employed to test the effects of a CEO's perceived arrogance and humility on the TMT in a boardroom setting. Findings -The study finds that, as predicted, arrogant CEOs adversely impacts TMT engagement, cohesiveness, collaboration and consensual decision-making. Thus, the higher the level of CEO arrogance, the lower the levels of positive TMT attitudes. The study intriguingly also finds that CEOs who displayed humility also negatively influenced the attitudes of the TMT.Research limitations/implications -The study took place in South Africa, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The use of a laboratory experiment may affect the ecological validity of the findings.Practical Implications -The results demonstrate that a "Goldilocks" area of neutrality between arrogance and humility should be sought after by CEOs and recruiters of CEOs. If this is impossible, humble CEOs are preferable to arrogant ones.Originality/Value -This paper empirically demonstrates that arrogant leaders negatively impact their TMT followers in a boardroom environment across a number of attitudes that are key to the success of effectively managing a corporation. The study also demonstrates that moderation is desired by followers and that CEOs being perceived as overly humble is almost as bad as being perceived as arrogant.

The Relationship of Arrogance Leadership, Job Commitment,and Job Satisfaction in Higher Educational Organisations in Sarawak

“…A good leadership style shown by leaders is the driving force for the direction of the any organisations. Toscano et al (2018) believed that the levels of positive attitudes shown by followers and subordinates; team members, are highly dependent and determined by levels of humility exuded by the leader. Liborius (2017) further supported by stating that influencing characters such as integrity, humility and forgiveness are very crucial in determining good leadership.…”

“…Arrogant leaders are leaders acting without the consent of team members causing resistance and rebellion amongst their members (Haan, Britt, & Weinstein, 2007;Toscano, Price, & Scheepers, 2018). In short, a person who has a high sense of superiority is also inaccessible and usually unapproachable; he is viewed as arrogant (Toscano et al, 2018;Trumpeter, Watson, & O'Leary, 2006).…”

“…Arrogant leaders are leaders acting without the consent of team members causing resistance and rebellion amongst their members (Haan, Britt, & Weinstein, 2007;Toscano, Price, & Scheepers, 2018). In short, a person who has a high sense of superiority is also inaccessible and usually unapproachable; he is viewed as arrogant (Toscano et al, 2018;Trumpeter, Watson, & O'Leary, 2006). Hence, a person who has subordinates or a reporting line and possesses the characteristics of arrogance is considered an arrogant leader and arrogance leadership is demonstrated when someone in the organisation possesses a sense of superiority and exaggerated self-importance (Toscano et al, 2018).…”

“…In short, a person who has a high sense of superiority is also inaccessible and usually unapproachable; he is viewed as arrogant (Toscano et al, 2018;Trumpeter, Watson, & O'Leary, 2006). Hence, a person who has subordinates or a reporting line and possesses the characteristics of arrogance is considered an arrogant leader and arrogance leadership is demonstrated when someone in the organisation possesses a sense of superiority and exaggerated self-importance (Toscano et al, 2018). Arrogance may not be a leadership style, but it is a personality trait or attribute influencing the leadership style of the leader.…”

“…Arrogance may not be a leadership style, but it is a personality trait or attribute influencing the leadership style of the leader. Many scholars have identified the occurrence of this phenomenon among leaders across various fields and its impacts on individuals such as employees or followers (Johnson et al, 2010;Silverman, Johnson, McConnell, & Carr, 2012;Toscano et al, 2018). Without a doubt, arrogance leadership when practised (without early detection and control) is believed to have impacts on individuals, individuals in organisation and the organisation as a whole.…”