The dark side of leadership: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of destructive leadership research

•We conduct a systematic literature review of the destructive leadership literature.•We meta-analytically examine results from 418 studies of destructive leadership.•We provide definitions of different styles of destructive leadership.•We build the solid empirical foundation necessary to advance knowledge in this area.•We identify actionable opportunities for future research to advance this literature. The destructive leadership literature has grown remarkably in recent years. Although the field has generated an impressive body of knowledge, we still have an incomplete understanding of destructive leadership. We conduct a systematic literature review of destructive leadership research so we can create a solid foundation for knowledge production and theory development within this literature. Further, we draw from 418 empirical samples of data (k = 418, N = 123,511) to conduct random-effects meta-analyses that estimate the magnitude and direction of relationships within destructive leadership’s nomological network. Ultimately, our study leverages and integrates the many insights from the destructive leadership literature to advance knowledge, facilitate nuanced theory development, generate useful directions for future research, and create evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice.