Harnessing organizational politics for ethical leadership and learning: insights from a bibliometric review

Purpose This study explores how leadership and organizational politics interact and what this means for leadership development and organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric review of 715 Scopus-indexed articles (1965–2025) was conducted using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to identify influential authors, journals, and emerging themes Findings Research has shifted from early work on power and influence to current focus on political skill, ethical leadership, and psychological safety. Gerald Ferris and K.M. Kacmar are the most cited scholars, and Leadership Quarterly is the leading journal. Evidence shows that political skill, when combined with ethics, fosters trust, collaboration, and learning in politically complex environments. Research limitations/implications This article translates bibliometric evidence into practical lessons for leadership development programs, positioning political skill as a core leadership capability, rather than a negative workplace phenomenon. Practical implications Organizations should integrate political acumen, ethical decision-making, and psychological safety into leadership training and succession planning. Action learning and simulations can help leaders build these skills. Social implications Embedding fairness and inclusion in leadership development contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work) by promoting fair work environments, and SDG 16 (Effective Institutions) by strengthening trust and integrity. Originality/value Drawing on six decades of bibliometric evidence, this study reframes political skill as an ethical leadership competency, showing how politically adept behaviors, guided by ethical norms, foster inclusion, fairness, trust, and psychological safety, offering actionable insights for sustainable leadership.