Although much is known about what effective leaders do, we know less about what happens when they behave inconsistently. In this program of research, we examined inconsistent leadership—the experience of receiving conflicting or unpredictable signals from the same leader over time. Across three studies, we explored how this form of inconsistency shapes employee sense-making and organizational outcomes.

The first two studies focused on scale development and validation. In Study 1, we generated a pool of items based on interviews, prior theory, and critical incident technique. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported a unidimensional structure for the inconsistent leadership construct. In Study 2, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in an independent sample and demonstrated the scale's discriminant validity from related leadership styles (e.g., abusive, laissez-faire, transformational), as well as its predictive validity for psychological strain and decision-making ambiguity.

Study 3 is a three-wave longitudinal field study designed to assess the consequences of inconsistent leadership using a sense-making and sense-giving lens. Data collection is complete, and we will analyze the results before the time of the presentation. We expect to show inconsistent leadership's unique effects on employees' work engagement and burnout via heightened levels of rumination. We also hypothesize that these effects will be lessened under clear organizational communication.

Together, these studies contribute to applied psychology by deepening our understanding of how inconsistent leadership signals are experienced by followers and why they matter. The project moves beyond idealized leadership styles and considers real-world complexity, helping to inform interventions for more stable and supportive leadership in dynamic work environments.