Hypocritical leaders who do not walk their talk: An in-depth field study

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the factors related to leaders who do not walk their talk and the resulting hypocritical behavior negatively impacting an organization and its employees. A convenience sampling of 305 professional employees attending an advanced leadership educational program voluntarily revealed their personal experiences with hypocritical leaders that did not walk their talk. The findings identified leaders who do not walk their talk regarding the top six most frequently cited interview responses. It is with the expectation that organizations can use the results from this qualitative study to develop, identify and understand leaders who do not walk their talk and initiate action to resolve the damaging effects of such undesirable hypocritical behavior.