Ca­m­illa Sløk

My research examines the relationship between responsibility and guilt in leadership, with particular attention to the ways in which leaders are often ascribed guilt, even when such attributions may be perceived by the leaders themselves as unjust. Rather than ‘guilt’, leaders prefer to frame negative incidents as errors. However, leaders frequently become the focal point of blame in organizational or societal contexts, not necessarily because of their direct culpability, but due to broader dynamics of accountability and public perception.

When organizations experience failure, such as flawed service delivery or inadequate intervention in cases involving the neglect of vulnerable citizens, public discourse often centers on identifying and holding a guilty party accountable. My research investigates the normative and practical expectations placed upon leaders in responding to such incidents, with particular attention to how responsibility is attributed, how blame is constructed, and how leaders are expected to navigate the tension between accountability, personal values, and crisis communication.

My research since 2012 has focused primarily on guilt and responsibility. I have found, that most leaders avoid the use of the wording "guilt" and rather prefer the concept of error. Error means that what happened was unintentional However, the manner in which leaders address errors has profound implications for trust, legitimacy, and organizational resilience. The development of reconciliatory processes after errors not only mitigates reputational damage but also cultivates organizational trust and psychological safety, both of which are essential for long-term adaptability and effectiveness.

In addition, my research explores crisis communication strategies as a means of responding to accusations of guilt and blame. This includes examining how leaders construct narratives to explain or contextualize their actions, how they engage in reconciliatory communication with affected stakeholders, and how they navigate the tension between accepting responsibility and resisting unfair attributions of guilt.

Transformational leadership emphasizes care and consideration for employees and stakeholders. However, leaders are simultaneously expected to demonstrate care while also making difficult, and at times unpopular, decisions. My research is on how leaders navigate this tension, and the potential risks and consequences when care is absent in leadership practice. The risk is that the leader becomes detached from stakeholders.