Ghosts in the Hierarchy: Bibliometric Mapping of the Phantom Network of Empowering Leadership

In the quiet corridors of organizational theory, a silent revolution has been unfolding, Empowering Leadership (EL). It emerges not with noise, but with a whisper of change: decentralization, autonomy, and voices once silenced now at the table. But what lies beneath this captivating paradigm? This paper takes readers on a detective's journey through 107 peer-reviewed studies, retrieved from Scopus and analyzed using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol. With the precision of VOSviewer and Bibliometric tools, we trace the intellectual fingerprints of EL, mapping its themes, uncovering hidden patterns, and exposing the gaps no one dared to explore. Since 2015, EL has risen like a shadowy figure from the academic mist, gaining strength through citations and scholarly intrigue. Core themes, psychological empowerment, autonomy, motivation, and job satisfaction are deeply rooted in Self-Determination, Empowerment, and Leader-Member Exchange theories. Yet, as we dig deeper, inconsistencies surface, fractured frameworks, one-dimensional methods, and cultural blind spots. Our investigation reveals a pressing need: a unified theoretical framework, sharper methodological tools, and a global perspective to view EL in its most valid form. Especially in the under-explored non-Western and digitally evolving landscapes, the mystery remains unsolved. This bibliometric review isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s a call to the next generation of researchers. Empowering leadership, as we discover, is not merely a style. It is a strategic force, one that, if fully understood, could unlock the secrets of sustainable success and innovation.