What characteristics result in toxic leadership?

What characteristics result in toxic leadership?

What characteristics result in toxic leadership?

What characteristics result in toxic leadership?

LDR 600 Characteristics result in Toxic Leadership

What characteristics result in toxic leadership? What are possible repercussions of toxic leadership? Provide a personal experience (do not disclose specific names) or public example of toxic leadership.

A toxic leader is a person who has responsibility for a group of people or an organization, and who abuses the leader–follower relationship by leaving the group or organization in a worse condition than it was in when he or she first interacted with them. [1][failed verification] The phrase dates back at least to 1972.[2] Marcia Lynn Whicker popularized the label “toxic leader” in 1996;[3] it has become linked with a number of dysfunctional leadership styles.[4] The leadership style of toxic leaders is both personally self-destructive and ultimately corporately harmful – as they subvert and destroy organizational structures.[5]

In his 1994 journal article “Petty Tyranny in Organizations” Blake Ashforth discussed potentially destructive sides of leadership and identified what he referred to as “petty tyrants”, i.e. leaders who exercise a tyrannical style of management, resulting in a climate of fear in the workplace.

Basic traits
The basic traits of a toxic leader are generally considered to be either/or insular,[4] intemperate,[4][7] glib, operationally rigid, callous,[4] inept,[7] discriminatory,[4] corrupt[7] or aggressive[7] by scholars such as Barbara Kellerman. They boast that they are supposedly clever, always criticize other staff members and avoid or dislike to be asked awkward questions about their leadership style.[5] These may occur as either:

Oppositional behaviour.[5]
Plays corporate power politics.
An overcompetitive attitude to other employees.[5]
Perfectionistic attitudes.
Abuse of the disciplinary system (such as to remove a workplace rival).
A condescending/glib attitude.[4]
They are shallow and lack self-confidence. Toxic leaders are not confident with themselves and become aggressive to cope.[5]
Poor self-control and/or restraint.[7]
Physical and/or psychological bullying.[7]
Procedural inflexibility.[5]
Discriminatory attitudes (sexism, etc.).
Causes workplace division instead of harmony.[4]
Use “divide and rule” tactics on their employees.[7]
Arrogant[5]
Irritability[5]
Aggressive narcissism
This syndrome is also the ‘Factor 1′ in Robert D.Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist, which includes the following traits:

Glibness/superficial charm[5]
Grandiose sense of self-worth
Pathological lying[8]
Cunning/manipulative[5]
Lack of remorse or guilt[5]
Callous/lack of empathy[5]
Shallow emotional affect (genuine emotion is short-lived and egocentric)
Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
Other traits
Among toxic leaders, many are autocratic[5] and/or control freaks to varying degrees, who tend to use both micromanagement, over management and management by fear to keep a grip of their authority in the organizational group. Micromanagers usually dislike a subordinate making decisions without consulting them, regardless of the level of authority or factual correctness.[4] A toxic leader can be both hypocritical and hypercritical of others, seeking the illusion of corporate and moral virtue to hide their own workplace vices. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a form of lying.[4][9] They are sometimes maladjusted,[5] and afraid of change.[5] They can also be both frightening and psychologically stressful to work with.[4]

The Russian Army defines toxic leaders as commanders who put their own needs first, micro-manage subordinates, behave in a mean-spirited manner or display poor decision-making.[10] A study for the Center for Army Leadership found that toxic leaders in the army work to promote themselves at the expense of their subordinates, and usually do so without considering long-term ramifications to their subordinates, their unit, and the Army profession.[11]

Tools
Workload: The setting up to fail procedure is in particular a well established workplace bullying tactic that a toxic leader can use against his rivals and subordinates.[12][13]
Corporate control systems: They could use the processes in place to monitor what is going on. Disciplinary systems could be abused to aid their power culture.
Organizational structures: They could abuse the hierarchies, personal relationships and the way that work flows through the business.
Corporate power structures: The toxic leader controls who, if any one makes the decisions and how widely spread power is.
Symbols of personal authority : These may include the right to parking spaces and executive washrooms or access to supplies and uniforms. Narcissistic symbols and self-images (i.e. workplace full of self-portraits).
Workplace rituals and routines: Management meetings, board reports, disciplinary hearing, performance assays and so on may become more habitual than necessary.
Inevitably the victim’s workplace performance, self-esteem and self-confidence will decline as employee(s)’ stress inclines. Heavy running costs and a high staff turnover/overtime rate are often also associated with employee related results of a toxic leader.[4]

What are the effects of toxic leadership?
Toxic leadership and bad leadership qualities have an impact on everyone who works with the leader who exhibits these toxic traits.

A study from the University of Manchester surveyed 1,200 people to discover the effects of toxic leadership, which included:

Workplace bullying
Counterproductive work behavior
Job dissatisfaction
Psychological distress
Depression and burnout
In the case of workplace bullying, it is often developed as a mediating mechanism when toxic leaders are present. Employees are more likely to retaliate and redirect their frustrations at others around them.