Unseen Consequences of Passive Leadership: Anxiety, Illegitimate Tasks, and Organizational Drift

By Anthony Da Silva, Strategic Synergy Consulting Group

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In today’s workplace, leadership isn’t just about what a leader does—it’s also about what a leader fails to do. While passive leadership may support development in isolated cases, its long-term effects on employee well-being, innovation, and retention can quietly corrode organizational culture from within.

This blog draws on recent empirical research—including my own—to examine how passive leadership contributes to increased leader anxiety, the assignment of illegitimate tasks, and ultimately, the kind of disengagement and drift that undermine productivity and purpose.

When Inaction Becomes a Liability

A study published in the Journal of Personnel Psychology by Walsh, Lyubykh, and Arnold (2024) sheds light on the psychological toll of passive leadership. The authors found that leaders who exhibit passive tendencies—such as avoiding conflict, delaying decisions, or failing to provide direction—often experience elevated anxiety. This internal stress, in turn, compromises their ability to lead with mindfulness and presence. The study suggests that leader anxiety acts as a key mediator, weakening both the leader’s influence and the team’s cohesion.

When a leader hesitates to act, it sends a signal that uncertainty is acceptable, that support is optional, and that accountability is someone else’s responsibility. Over time, this inaction cultivates confusion and erodes trust—conditions ripe for organizational drift.

Illegitimate Tasks: The Quiet Killer of Innovation

The effects of passive leadership aren’t limited to emotional strain. They often manifest in the day-to-day assignments that employees receive. Bani-Melhem, Abukhait, and Shamsudin (2025) explored the damaging role of illegitimate tasks—those perceived as unnecessary or outside one’s role. Their study in The Service Industries Journal found that when employees are routinely asked to perform such tasks, it diminishes their sense of purpose and hinders innovative behavior.

Illegitimate tasks are often the byproduct of poor leadership boundaries and blurred role definitions—hallmarks of passive leadership. When leaders fail to manage responsibilities proactively or delegate appropriately, employees end up bearing the cost. This results not only in decreased morale but also in reduced capacity for creativity and growth.

Job Embeddedness and the Passive-Avoidant Trap

In my 2024 dissertation, The Nexus of Passive-Avoidant Leadership and Deviancy: Exploring Job Embeddedness, I explored how passive-avoidant leadership can drive employees away from their roles—emotionally and physically. The research revealed a direct link between passive leadership behaviors and increased workplace deviance, whether or not employees lack a strong sense of job embeddedness (i.e., the psychological and social forces that keep them anchored to their jobs).

In essence, when leaders step back too far, employees may begin to question their role, their value, and their connection to the organization. The longer this continues, the greater the risk of withdrawal, misconduct, and eventual turnover.

Closing the Gap with Intentional Leadership

Passive leadership is not a neutral stance—it is a leadership liability. The research is clear: unchecked passivity contributes to leader anxiety, employee disengagement, and systemic inefficiency. These unseen costs may not appear on a balance sheet, but they are felt deeply across the organization.

To counter this drift, leaders must engage intentionally. This means communicating expectations clearly, intervening early when issues arise, assigning meaningful work, and developing the self-awareness to regulate their own stress responses.

At Strategic Synergy Consulting Group, we help organizations break the cycle of passive leadership through evidence-based coaching, training, and workforce development solutions. Leadership isn’t just about taking action—it’s about taking the right action, at the right time, with the right people in mind.

Let’s connect. If your organization is feeling the ripple effects of passive leadership, we’re here to help. Contact us at 813-924-3853, email info@StrategicSynergyCG.com, or visit www.StrategicSynergyCG.com to start the conversation.

About the Author

Dr. Anthony Da Silva, an Air Force veteran and seasoned Human Resources professional, is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Strategic Synergy Consulting Group. He holds doctoral degrees in Business Administration and Industrial/Organizational Psychology. His research centers on leadership behaviors, workplace dynamics, and people-centered strategies that cultivate thriving, high-performing organizations.