Dark Leadership

Almost every book that you pick up on #leadership talks about the qualities, attributes and skills required to be a #successful and #effective leader. Indeed, the book, "Leadership Insights" written by myself and my good friend Qaiser Abbas , also takes a very detailed look at what it takes to become a successful #businessleader.

The sad fact, however, is that the more I interact with business leaders around the world, the more I discover that there are too many leaders that do not necessarily fit the bill to be effective or good #leaders. What's worse is that they often display the "dark side" of leadership.

What is the dark side of leadership?

This refers to the negative aspects or unethical behaviours exhibited by leaders, such as abuse of power, manipulation, narcissism, or toxic leadership styles. It can encompass behaviours that harm individuals, teams, or organizations and can have detrimental effects on organizational culture and performance over the medium and long term.

This raises many questions in my mind:

• How do these people reach the heights of leadership despite lacking many of the qualities and attributes associated with successful business leaders?
• What harm must these people be doing to the organization, the team members they work with and many other stakeholders?
• Why do organizations allow such behaviour?

The "dark" behaviour can have a long-lasting impact on all those who come into contact with such leaders. While these leaders may occasionally be able to produce results in the short term, they end up having a significantly negative impact on the organization or teams that they lead. They can often destroy the #culture of the organization and seriously demotivate the people that they work with.

From the organization's point of view, it is imperative that such behaviour and this type of leadership are not allowed to prosper and are dealt with aggressively. By taking proactive steps to identify and address dark leadership, organizations can mitigate the negative impact on individuals, teams, and organizational performance while promoting a culture of #ethical leadership and #accountability. The #board of #directors must take responsibility for ensuring that such #toxicculture is not allowed to take hold within the organization. The CEO is also expected to ensure that the #rightculture is built all the way through the organization.

Let's now discuss look at the employee level.

How do you deal with a boss that displays dark leadership traits?

Here are?some practical strategies you can employ to navigate the situation:

• Be Professional: Focus on maintaining professionalism and performing your job to the best of your ability. Do not react emotionally or engage in confrontational behaviour.
• ?Seek Support: Reach out to trusted colleagues, mentors, or HR to discuss your concerns and seek guidance on how to cope with the situation.
• Set rules and boundaries: Establish boundaries to protect yourself from the negative effects of your boss's behaviour.
• ?Document Incidents: Keep a record of specific incidents or behaviours. Documenting these instances can provide evidence if you need to escalate the issue to a higher authority or HR at a later stage.
• ?Explore Internal Resources: If your organization has resources available, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs) consider utilizing them for support.
• ?Focus on Self-Care: Take care of yourself both physically and emotionally by engaging in activities that promote well-being and stress relief.
• ?Weigh Your Options: Evaluate your options for addressing the situation, including whether it's feasible to transfer to a different department or seek opportunities outside of the organization if the situation becomes untenable.

?Remember that coping with a boss who displays dark leadership traits can be stressful, and it's essential to prioritize your #well-being and seek support when needed. If the situation becomes intolerable or if you experience harassment or discrimination, don't hesitate to escalate the issue to higher authorities or HR for further assistance.

Your own health and wellbeing should always be your number one priority.

The Real World:

I remember working on a project where the project leader displayed many of the aspects of dark leadership that I have referred to earlier.

He often joked about the fact that he had made people cry in the past and would frequently make sarcastic comments about people's appearance. He would set unrealistic deadlines thus putting extreme pressure on the team. After the team worked hard to meet the deadline, he would add new requirements or change the scope of work. The team had to start again and often the cycle would be repeated.

The use of offensive language was also a common thing and if someone queried the need for such language, they were told to develop a sense of humour.

The end result - there was a revolving door of people leaving the organization and recruiting replacements became harder and harder as the word spread around town of his #toxicleadership style.

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