Loneliness has become a complex, ubiquitous problem in organizations. We review the research on loneliness in leader and follower roles and develop propositions related to understanding loneliness in organizational settings. Utilizing critical perspectives on leadership to better understand this phenomenon, we propose that loneliness is more emergent when leaders are either new to the leadership role or enact more “transformational,” “transactional,” or “authentic” leadership behaviors. Our analysis sheds light on the dark side of these popular leadership theories, especially with respect to the lack of development of high-quality relationships—and the resultant loneliness of both leaders and followers—in organizations stewarded by such leaders. We discuss implications and suggestions for future research.
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