Back To the Future: Future Advances in Organizational Dark Personality Research

This article charts new directions for dark personality research in organizations by moving beyond static trait approaches that oversimplify dark traits as uniformly beneficial for individuals yet harmful for others. The contributions in this Special Issue demonstrate the need for this shift, highlighting the paradoxical nature of dark traits, revealing how their impact is contingent on crucial interactions, such as leader fear of power loss and follower integrity, while also exposing the systemic ‘demand’ for these traits and the significant methodological challenges in their measurement. Building on these articles, we outline five transformative avenues for future research: (1) examining dynamic, state-level trait expressions and non-linear effects; (2) mapping contextual moderators such as organizational culture, power dynamics, and follower characteristics; (3) investigating gendered manifestations and evaluations; (4) exploring group-level and organizational dark personality climates; and (5) advancing methodological innovations through AI-enhanced assessments, experience sampling, multi-method designs and social network analysis. We argue that future research should embrace the complexity of dark traits, examining when they function as assets or liabilities, how they fluctuate across situations, and how they emerge collectively in teams. Reframing dark traits as components of complex adaptive systems, rather than fixed, “villainous” dispositions, can yield actionable insights for selection, intervention, and organizational design, enabling organizations to harness their potential while mitigating their destructive risks.