Managing the dark side of leadership trickle-down effect through conservation of resources theory in higher education

The dark side of leadership, such as toxic leadership in higher education, is a reality that often goes unnoticed. This research aims to explain the impact of toxic leadership on performance, mediated by work engagement and individual resilience. The study employs a deductive method to test hypotheses through a survey using questionnaires. The research involved 392 lecturers and staff from private universities, selected through simple random sampling. Inferential data analysis was conducted using the SEM covariance procedure. The results indicate that the trickle-down effect of toxic leadership on subordinates negatively impacts performance. Toxic leadership reduces the balance of engagement processes and personal resources that support engagement and performance. The discussion focuses on the findings related to the trickle-down effect of toxic leadership and efforts to minimize the negative cycle of toxic behavior spreading across different organizational levels.