Leveraging Leaders

TLDR

We review and synthesize the empowering leadership literature, proposing two new lines of inquiry for future research. The study encourages researchers to investigate why empowering leadership occurs and to examine its less positive, unintended negative outcomes. The authors employ four theoretical perspectives—person–situation interactions, followership theory, contingency leadership approaches, and the too‑much‑of‑a‑good‑thing effect—to identify future research opportunities. The review establishes an agenda for the next decade of research on empowering leadership.

Abstract

We review and synthesize the empowering leadership literature and, as a result, suggest two new provocative lines of inquiry directing future research. Based on a set of testable propositions, we first encourage researchers to answer the question of why empowering leadership occurs. Second, we encourage researchers to explore less positive and unintended, negative outcomes of empowering leadership. To identify opportunities for future work along these two lines, we use four theoretical perspectives including (1) person–situation interactions, (2) followership theory, (3) contingency approaches to leadership, and, (4) the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect. As a result, we set an agenda for the next decade of research on empowering leadership.