Toxic Leadership

The abuse of power and it destructiveness

How to spot it and how to avoid it

Toxic leadership as a concept was coined by Marcia Lynn Whicker, in her book: "Toxic Leaders: When Organizations Go Bad" [New York: Doubleday, 1996. This phrase is linked with a number of dysfunctional leadership styles.

This is someone who has responsibility over a group of people or an organisation, and who abuses the leader-follower relationship and who leaves the group or organization in a poorer condition after they have left. Barbara Kellerman suggests in "Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters" [2004] - that it may be analysed into seven different types:

She identifies these types

    * Incompetence

    * Rigidity                                                

    * Intemperance - lack of self-control

    * Callousness

    * Corruption

    * Insularity

    * Evil

Marcia Whicker describes toxic leaders as "maladjusted, malcontent, and often malevolent, even malicious. They succeed by tearing others down. They glory in turf protection, fighting and controlling rather than uplifting followers."

Analyst Gillian Flynn provides a graphic description of a toxic manager as the: "manager who bullies, threatens, yells. The manager whose mood swings determine the climate of the office on any given workday. Who forces employees to whisper in sympathy in cubicles and hallways. The backbiting, belittling boss from hell. Call it what you want - poor interpersonal skills, unfortunate office practices - but some people, by sheer shameful force of their personalities make working for them rotten."

• 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.

• 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.

• Workplace Rituals and Routines: Management meetings, board reports, disciplinary hearing, performance assays and so on may become more habitual than necessary.

Why Are Some People Overly Critical and Sarcastic?

Have you been Criticized?

 

Did a close person criticize you?

Do you feel bad?

Were you hurt?

 

If I were you i would have not felt bad for myself simply because the person who criticized you is the one who is in need of help.

 

Read this article and you will discover that people who are overly critical and sarcastic are the ones who should feel bad not the ones they criticize.

Why Are Some People So Critical and sarcastic?

 

A normal Human being should have a balanced behavior. It not uncommon for someone to criticize someone else or to be sarcastic every once in a while but when the critical comments start to flood everyone surrounding the person and when his sarcastic behavior starts to hurt the close ones around him then he is in need of help.

 

Here is why overly critical and sarcastic people need help:

 

* Criticism And Anger: Have you ever noticed the negative thoughts that pass in your mind while you are angry? If you did then most probably you already noticed that you were so critical to everyone at that time. When we become angry we tend to become overly critical and sarcastic. Some people are haunted by anger as a result of the past experiences they have been through. People with unmet goals, some people who were emotionally abused and people who are angry at life because of the bad things that happened to them may end up living with anger. They live a miserable life and curse everyone they find in their way as if others carry part of the blame for what happened to them.

 

* Being overly critical and Your Inner Child: Some people are overly critical because this is just how they were treated as children. If a child was always criticized then he might develop a negative unconscious pattern of thinking that lets him criticize everyone around him. The negative messages that this child constantly received turned into a way of thinking that lead him to become an overly critical and sarcastic adult. (see Parenting mistakes that affects the child's personality

 

* Criticism and Lack of self confidence: The difference between a confident person and a person who feels inferior is their way of thinking. while the first tends to praise himself the second keeps putting himself down. The mind of the person who lacks self confidence is usually full of negative messages and that’s why the excess negative ones reach the other people around him in the form of criticism. The conclusion is, The overly critical person usually lacks self confidence

 

Are you Still Feeling Bad?

 

From the few previous paragraphs its clear that the person who always criticizes others is emotionally wounded, lacking self confidence and angry at the whole world.

 

If I were you, I would focus my attention on helping that person who criticized me instead of feeling bad because that I was criticized.

How To Help Him?

 

The hardest part wouldn’t be trying to figure out what to do but its convincing him that he needs help.

 

That person needs to take a quick look at his past in order to find why is he carrying all that stored anger inside his heart.

 

Once you help him find the root cause for his anger you should then help him direct his efforts towards solving his problems instead of directing his anger to the innocent people surrounding him.

 

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What is INTEGRITY?

"As a leader, it's becomes easy to make promises to people through statements that you say -- things you will improve, tasks you will take on, opportunities that are promised.  However, the true test of a leader is your follow-through -- can you deliver on those promises in the actions you take."

 

To me, this is so fundamental and it drives me crazy when people lack integrity.

 

That's right, I wrote INTEGRITY.

 

What is integrity?

 

Integrity is simple - it means doing what you said you would. A lot of people put higher moral meanings to the word, but let's demystify it.

 

If you do not keep your promises - you are not acting with integrity.

If you keep your promises - you act with integrity.

 

You said you would get the report done on Friday. It's not done on Friday. You are out of integrity.

 

You said you would finish the project by May 31. It's done before May 31st. You are in integrity.

 

People do not possess integrity as a lifelong trait like introversion or twisted sense of humor (enough about me). Integrity is a state that we are either in or out of in a particular time.  We are each in integrity or out of integrity RIGHT NOW.

 

Good news: You can get back into integrity anytime. Deliver on your promises and/or renegotiate them.  I think little things matter, too. It is important to keep both large and small promises.

 

And watch out for implied promises! This is what happens in meetings when we are not clear about what we will and won't get done (by who, by when). Half the room will have heard you promise to get the data to the group by the end of the day when you may have a very different perspective.

 

When I was managing a staff, I would routinely ask whether people were waiting on me for anything to make sure there were no implied promises not on my list. You can't renegotiate implied promises until they get out in the open.

 

Why should you stay in integrity? Mental mucky muck that runs amuck and mucks up your productivity! When you are out of integrity, all those unfinished items get in the way of your best thinking and activity. Even if you are not thinking about the late report - it is there, diminishing your returns.

 

Of course, there are other reasons, too. You will have better relationships at work. You will be regarded well and promoted more. You will get more done.

 

Make a list of all the things you said you would do and when you said you would do them. Are you in or

out of integrity? What can you do to get back in integrity?

 

    * List 1: Things I will complete

    * List 2: Things I need to renegotiate

    * List 3: Things I should back away from

 

Fill all three lists and then act accordingly. It feels great to be in integrity.

CROSSING THE BLUELINE : Episode 10

Ten Habits of Effective “BOUGHT” LEADERSHIP

 

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is a master of NODDING

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is a expert in RECITATIONS

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is understandably a SPOKESMAN

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is an good ACTOR

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is a sudden SUCCUMBER

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is the next FRANCHISEE

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is a rapid LOSER

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is a TENANT in his Own HOUSE

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader is Sufficiently Satisfied for Appreciations from the SELLER

·         The “BOUGHT” Leader wants only the SELLER to be in Prominence

 

The “BOUGHT” Leadership will be there until people are there waiting for someone to BUY THEM the LEADERSHIP

CROSSING THE BLUELINE : Episode 9

 Sometime back through the Crossing the Blueline was left with the question, Is Leadership “Taught” or “Bought”. And the crossing was given some breathing time. The time gave a good breathing and has given good examples to justify the questions poised.

 

Previously Leadership was “TAUGHT” – the learned leaders wanted to transform their learning into actions. And later the Actions brought changes and Changes brought the Transformations. But now it is only “BOUGHT” – The tag price varies from case to case – The price may be in Money, Material, Maintenance, Madhu (Alchohal), Rewards, Awards or Jingle Bells. People are ready to invest on these to get an addiction and not for achievement. And when it is “BOUGHT” people are not worried or not feeling the Power of Leadership – They just want to succumb to the orders of the people who have bought them that.

 

Also the “BUYER” of Leadership scrap the tools of Leadership TEACHING. Because of the reason that their “BUYING AGENTS” doesn’t want any person with knowledge. All they need is, people - who without any question accept their orders. Previously when Leadership was “TAUGHT” there were LEADERS making LEADERS, and now when it is “BOUGHT” there are only PLEADGERS making PLEADGERS. When it is “BOUGHT” – the irony is that the so called LEADER gets the home registered in his name and lets the key to enter in the hands of the person who “BOUGHT” him that beautiful house. Also stands out and boasts about the beauty of the house – People also never want to humiliate their so called LEADER – They HEAR to the words and leave – Never LISTEN to the Words.

 

Scrapping the “LEADERSHIP TEACHING” Tools is crime. On every stage people talk the USP of the organization and before they complete their speech they SELL the properties of LEADERSHIP.

 

All is Well, Still We believe Faith in God will give Teaching and Good Attitude to these “AGENTS” of LEADERSHIP.

 

At this point we have to think of the next point in the line – What are the Effective Habits of Today’s “BOUGHT” LEADERSHIP?