When Leaders Become Toxic A Guide to Recognizing and Addressing the Problem

If leaders are highly skilled and appear to be successful, why is their toxic behaviour a problem? What’s wrong with tolerating or enabling leaders who are toxic? If they are doing great things, what is the problem?

As a society, we have long been conditioned to view strong leadership as the key to success. However, when that leadership becomes toxic, the consequences can be severe. According to a survey conducted by Harvard Business Review, 58% of employees have experienced abusive behaviour at work. This includes being subjected to insults, humiliation, and even threats. While this type of behaviour may be tolerated in the short term, it can have a significant impact on mental health and well-being in the long run.

Toxic leadership can take many forms, but common traits include a lack of empathy, a tendency towards micromanagement, and a refusal to take responsibility for mistakes. Such leaders create a culture of fear and distrust, which can lead to high turnover rates, low morale, and decreased productivity.