Neuroticism and locus of control as moderators of the relationships of charismatic and autocratic leadership with burnout

Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of personality traits in the relationship between leader behavior and burnout. In two samples, employees (N = 91; N = 190) filled out the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey and rated their leader’s autocratic and charismatic leader behavior and their own neuroticism and internal work locus of control. As expected, neuroticism and internal work locus of control moderated the relationship between leader behavior and burnout. Charisma was associated with lower burnout, particularly for individuals low on internal locus. The relationship between autocratic leadership and burnout was positive for neurotic individuals, whereas for emotionally stable individuals this relationship weakened. These results were consistent across two independent samples: one with individual employee ratings of manager’s leadership styles and the other with aggregate ratings of manager’s leadership styles among employees in diverse organizations. Thus, although charismatic and autocratic leader behavior may respectively act to hinder or enhance overload and stress, the relationship between these leadership styles and burnout differs for followers with different traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)