Leadership is important in influencing the culture of an organization,
the morale of employees and their productivity. While capable leaders
motivate and encourage development, negative leadership has the opposite
outcome, causing increased employee turnover, anxiety, and reduced
productivity. Recognizing toxic leaders requires focusing on subtle yet
damaging behaviors that disturb team dynamics. This blog will delve into
the concept of recognizing toxic leadership, identifying the impact of
toxic leadership and offering solutions for individuals and companies to
combat it. Case studies and research findings mentioned below will help
showcase the practical effects of toxic leadership and offer concrete
strategies for prevention and intervention.
What is Toxic Leadership?
Toxic leadership is when leaders misuse their power to cause harm to
both employees and the organization. Signs of toxic leadership
incorporate behaviors that adversely influence team morale and
organizational well-being. Common signs of toxic leadership incorporate
excessive control, absence of empathy, and favoritism. As Lipman-Blumen
(2005) states, toxic leaders employ fear, intimidation, and manipulation
to manage their teams, typically placing personal benefit above the
health of the organization. The behaviors they exhibit create a negative
work atmosphere, characterized by diminished spirits, lack of
confidence, and psychological struggles for the staff.
Toxic leadership involves more than just occasional misconduct- it is a
continuous trend that weakens team unity and effectiveness. The impact
of toxic leadership extends beyond individual well-being, influencing
the overall organizational culture. Addressing toxic leadership includes
finding deliberate ways to promote better leadership practices and
enhance working environment culture. Recognizing toxic leaders includes
recognizing key behaviors that negatively influence both individuals and
organizations. Padilla, Hogan, and Kaiser (2007) emphasize that toxic
leadership consists of three main elements: harmful actions, vulnerable
followers, and an environment that fosters this type of
behaviour.
Recognizing the Signs of toxic leadership
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Micromanagement and lack of trust: Toxic leaders frequently engage in micromanagement, overseeing
every detail of an employee’s work and lacking trust in their
ability to work independently. This conduct indicates an absence of
confidence in the team, resulting in annoyance and
detachment.
Example: A marketing manager regularly checks each email before sending it,
which hinders the team’s autonomy. Workers experience a lack of freedom
and appreciation, resulting in exhaustion.
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Emotional abuse and bullying: Toxic leaders employ emotional abuse to ridicule, critique, or
embarrass employees, whether it’s in private or public. This conduct
results in an unfriendly work atmosphere and can significantly affect
the mental well-being of employees.
Example: Uber faced criticism in 2018 due to Susan Fowler, a former engineer,
publicly exposing a toxic work environment filled with harassment and
bullying. Leadership’s failure to address employee concerns led to
public backlash and mass resignations.
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Favoritism and unfair treatment: Toxic leaders frequently practice favoritism by showing preference
towards specific employees and disregarding others. This leads to
splits within teams and encourages bitterness.
Example: A manager consistently favoring close friends for promotions
over more qualified employees results in decreased morale and the
eventual departure of talented staff.
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Poor communication and Blame shifting: Successful leaders admit mistakes and have transparent communication.
On the other hand, toxic leaders deflect responsibility onto others
and evade taking ownership, frequently leaving employees uninformed on
important choices. Research conducted by Owen et al. (2015) revealed
that companies with toxic leaders encounter increased communication
problems, resulting in confusion and decreased productivity.
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High turnover and employee burnout:
Among employees are clear indicators of toxic leadership. Workers tend
to depart from toxic leadership due to stress, lack of acknowledgement
and emotional fatigue.
Example: The management of Wells Fargo was criticized for creating a toxic sales
environment that forced employees to achieve unattainable goals, leading
to dishonest behavior. The aftermath involved numerous resignations,
legal actions and harm to the organization’s reputation.
The Impact of Toxic Leadership
The Impact of toxic leadership reaches further than just individual
employees, impacting the overall performance of the organization as a
whole.
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Problems with mental health: Being exposed to toxic leadership for
a long period can result in anxiety,
depression
and burnout in workers.
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Decreased productivity: Toxic leaders foster an environment of fear
and uncertainty, leading to a drop in employee engagement.
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Negative Image: Companies with unhealthy environments are closely
examined by the public, which results in difficulties in recruiting
and retaining skilled employees.
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Financial loss: The rise in staff turnover and disengagement led to
an increase in expenses for recruitment and training.
A Gallup study (2019) found that toxic leadership is a major reason for
employee turnover, resulting in U.S. companies losing over $223 billion
in 5 years.
Taking Action Against Toxic Leadership
Dealing with toxic leadership necessitates a proactive effort from both
staff and companies. Below are a few strategies that can be used:
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Create easily accessible channels for reporting: Employees should be able to report toxic behavior anonymously,
without worrying about any form of retaliation. Example: Numerous
companies currently utilize third-party platforms that allow
employees to safely report harassment or unethical practices.
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Promote a positive organizational culture:
Leaders need to focus on openness, equity, and courtesy.
Establishing a culture that prioritizes open communication and
feedback can stop toxic leadership from developing. According to
Kelloway et al. (2012), organizations with robust ethical cultures
had fewer occurrences of toxic leadership.
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Leadership training for development:
Companies need to offer consistent training for leaders that centers
on emotional intelligence, empathy, and conflict resolution. Harmful
actions are frequently the result of not being self-aware or lacking
emotional regulation. “Project Oxygen” by Google determined key
leadership attributes, like empathy and communication abilities,
that enhanced leadership methods company-wide.
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Hold leaders responsible: Performance evaluations should assess not just the results but also
the methods by which leaders attain them. Leaders who display toxic
behavior need to be responsible, facing consequences such as extra
training or firing. Following an examination of workplace
wrongdoing, Uber’s CEO Travis Kalanick was requested to resign,
highlighting the importance of companies taking firm measures
against harmful leadership.
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Foster employee wellness and assistance: Companies should advocate for employee well-being by offering
mental health programs, counseling services, and work-life balance
initiatives. Workers who receive are more likely to remain resilient
in challenging circumstances.
How Employees can cope with toxic leadership
Although organizations must address toxic leadership, employees can
also take measures to safeguard themselves against it.
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Record incidents:
Maintaining a log of harmful actions can be beneficial in case you
need to address the problem.
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Establish boundaries: Establish boundaries by effectively communicating them to prevent
being overwhelmed or mistreated.
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Get help: Reach out to trusted peers or seek assistance from a mental
health professional if the situation impacts your well-being.
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Create a plan for leaving: If the unhealthy atmosphere continues, think about looking for new
job options.
Toxic leadership poses a significant threat to both individuals and
organizations. Identifying indicators such as micromanaging, bullying,
and inadequate communication enables employees and organizations to
promptly address issues. By taking proactive steps such as providing
leadership training, promoting open communication, and ensuring
accountability, companies can establish more positive work environments
that stimulate development and achievement.
Addressing toxic leadership benefits both individuals and the
organization as a whole, resulting in enhanced morale, productivity, and
long-term success.