Jon Gruda

This study explores how organizational culture influences the prevalence of managerial behaviors associated with the Dark Triad (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy). Based on 15,000+ ratings of 3000+ Glassdoor job reviews, we analyze how performance-focused and diversity-focused cultures shape these behaviors. We find that performance-oriented cultures amplify controlling, manipulative, and competitive behaviors in managers. And while diversity-focused cultures somewhat mitigate such behaviors, this effect is limited and dependent on the performance orientation of the organization. These results challenge the notion that diversity and inclusion initiatives alone can counteract toxic managerial behaviors, underscoring the critical role of performance focus in organizational culture.