Studies on leadership, by both laymen and academicians, abound. It is an oft-
studied concept that has experienced a distinct evolutionary cycle typical of much
of social science research. This paradigm is utilized to describe a variety of investi
gations that suggest that self-esteem is a significant variable in individual produc
tive functioning and leadership effectiveness. This literature is reviewed, focusing
not on characteristics of a leader, but on superior-subordinate interactions. A con
ceptual framework is presented that describes the importance of self-esteem, how
it is affected in organization contexts, and what implications are apparent, given
this evidence, for researchers, managers, and consultants.
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