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Abstract:
The current research examines the conceptual overlap of established leadership styles. Study 1 investigates six positive leadership styles: transformational, charismatic, ethical, servant, authentic, and LMX. Analyses suggest that charismatic leadership has the potential to encompass the others, except servant leadership, which seems to measure a different concept. Study 2 examines five negative leadership styles: petty tyranny, abusive supervision, despotic leadership, supervisor undermining, and laissez-faire. Analyses suggest that abusive supervision and supervisor undermining have the potential to encompass petty tyranny and despotic leadership, and could be integrated into one broader active leadership construct. Laissez-faire leadership stands on its own as a result of its passive nature. Overall, results confirm there is significant overlap between leadership styles, and that these may not be measuring different concepts as they are defined in the literature. The results of this research suggest revisiting the conceptual and measurement perspectives of both positive and negative leadership styles.