What are the practices of unethical leaders? Exploring how teachers experience the “dark side” of administrative leadership

Abstract

This article is one of the few empirical studies exploring the “dark side” of ethical leadership. Using Oplatka’s Irresponsible Leadership as an unethical leadership framework, the qualitative study explores how teachers conceptualize and experience unethical administrative leadership at their respective schools in the United States. This study found that amongst the unethical practices reported, they coalesced into six themes: absenteeism, indiscreet information sharing, disregard for the dignity of persons, abuses of power, displays of favoritism, and prioritizing personal gain.