Toxic Leadership: Harmful Impacts and When to Move on

I was compelled to embark on research, writing and speaking about toxic bosses through what I have seen and experienced in my 25 years in the field of work and career psychology. ?I’ve worked for consulting firms and have run my own since 2009. ?In parallel, I’ve had the great fortune to oversee a national team of career psychologists, hearing about the trends that are happening with toxic leadership. ?Out of the thousands of individuals our team at Canada Career Counselling has helped, there is a growing trend of toxic leaders in workplaces who are wreaking havoc. ??

Working with individual clients on their leadership and career development led me to realize the huge impacts toxic bosses have on the trajectory of people’s work and lives. ?Further, by consulting within a variety of organizations, working with executives, and running climate and engagement surveys, I saw too many instances of toxic leadership at play. ?What could I do to help more widely???

I felt compelled to dive deep into this phenomenon so I could help as many people as possible navigate toxic bosses in the future. ?I wanted to help them spot the early warning signs, and to identify how toxic leadership unfolds so they wouldn’t have to feel stuck or alone. ?Helping people find the courage to exit and to recover post-toxic boss is a mission I’m honored to be on. ??

What are Toxic Bosses??

Toxic bosses have been around for as long as there have been bosses.? They crawl into every level of leadership, from first-time supervisors through to the CEO and senior executives. They include those who are narcissistic, authoritarian, controlling, manipulative, abusive, and who gaslight, bully and harass either overtly or covertly (e.g., passive aggressively). These bosses are not just difficult or challenging, they are truly toxic and take an enormous toll on employees’ mental and physical health, as well as erode performance, engagement and commitment.???

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What Damage do they Do??

My research study is shedding light on all kinds of damage these bosses have done.? Some examples are that they erode your confidence, derail your career, destroy teamwork and collaboration by pitting people against each other, and create a toxic culture of distrust and fear.? They want to control, and they like to punish if you are not a “yes person”.???

Punishment could mean pulling away rewards and perks, taking away professional development opportunities, or other things that are important to you.? They may engage in constructive dismissal , an illegal practice of pushing you out of the organization and getting you to quit so they don’t have to pay severance (talk to an employment lawyer if you feel this may be happening as you may have a case).?

Some of the mental and emotional impacts of these bosses are the most problematic.? These include increased stress and eventual burnout (listen to Episode 77 of the Where Work Meets Life PodcastTM: Preventing Burnout in Our Lives ).? Your sleep, eating, exercise and relationships may also be impacted over time, making you less able to focus and perform, let alone find any joy.?

?When to Leave?

One major research insight has been that people hang on too long thinking that HR will be able to help, or the boss might change if they just work harder to impress.? If the boss has been abusive or manipulative in any way, this is a sign that there will be more toxicity to come.? You need to take care of YOU.? Staying will not help, and in many cases, it will get worse over time.???

Taking it to HR may or may not help, depending on how empowered they are, and the organization’s follow through on psychological harassment/bullying policies.? Have others gone before you and successfully addressed a toxic boss at your organization?? What I’ve seen is many times the toxic boss is never let go, or only let go after:? 1) massive turnover under them, and 2) an extended length of time passing.? If they are a strong performer bringing in revenue or key relationships to the company and good at impressing their boss, their tentacles may be deeply planted.???

Keep in mind that the longer you stay, the more your confidence erodes. It can become harder to leave.? Your motivation and energy will be depleted, and the last thing you will want to do is search for jobs in the evenings and weekends, especially if you fear your toxic boss finding out.?

It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons – your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual health versus the paycheque/financial rewards/job security. ?There are likely other options out there that are better for you, as hard as that is to believe when you’re stuck in a toxic situation. ?Talking to a mentor or a career psychologist can provide an objective view and a source of support and accountability. ? ?

In sum, I look forward to sharing more insights and tips with you around this important topic.? My hope is to make lives better by having fewer toxic leaders and employees reporting to them for less time.? Nobody deserves a toxic boss!?