POPULISM AND TOXIC LEADERSHIP: THE TWO FACES OF CHARISMATIC AUTHORITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Keywords:
Populism, toxic leadership, charismatic authority, political science, industrial and organizational psychologyAbstract
This article examines the phenomenon of toxic leadership observed in the business world with rising populism in contemporary political processes from the perspective of both political science and industrial and organizational psychology. The charismatic authority, frequently used by populist leaders, is a strong source of motivation that activates the masses, but also has risks that threaten democratic institutions and organizational balances. This dual structure is the promise of hope, belonging and transformation, which attracts followers on the “bright” face of charismatic authority; On the “dark” face, it involves the suppression of critical thought, dependence relations and critical thought. While the literature of industrial and organizational psychology shows the destructive effects of toxic leadership on employee commitment, job satisfaction and organizational productivity, political science research draws attention to the potential of weakening democratic values of populist leadership. In this context, the article considers charismatic authority as a bidirectional phenomenon both in organizational and political context; On the one hand, it discusses its constructive effects that increase social and organizational motivation, and on the other hand, the destructive aspects that trigger authoritarianization and institutional collapse. The study is based on literature screening and aims to evaluate the intersection areas of populism and toxic leadership from a holistic perspective by blending the theoretical frameworks in different disciplines. This approach offers an interdisciplinary discussion for both political science and organizational psychology.
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