1. Dean, School of Public Affairs
TOXIC LEADERSHIP
Leadership style, organizational climate and organizational effectiveness: What’s style got to do with it?
George Reed, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Public Affairs

2. All those in authoritative positions can be placed somewhere on this scale
Pretty Good
Most of us
are here
A few of us are here
A few of us are here
Awful
Belittling
Demotivating
Destructive
Toxic
Wonderful
Inspiring
Motivating
Constructive
Exemplary

3. Reed’s 4-F Affiliation Theory
Funds
Tangible
Fun
Fellowship
Intangible
Feeling
If you want to attract talented people and retain them in the profession,
supervisors should give consideration to the 4-Fs.

4. Ross McGinnis

5. Does leadership style matter?
Organizational effectiveness is usually defined by near-term accomplishments.
Where do we assess the long-term health of our company and the people in it?
Is there a cost that must be paid for leaders with a destructive leadership style?

6. Impact Fun  Fellowship  Feeling  Organizational citizenship
behavior 
Satisfaction 
Cynicism 
Retention?
Suicide?

7. Impact Observable behavior Organizational Impact
48% decreased their work effort
47% decreased their time at work
38% decreased their work quality
66% said their performance declined
80% lost work time worrying
about the incident
63% lost time avoiding the offender
Adapted from Kusy & Holloway (2009)
Toxic Workplace, Jossey-Bass, pp
Porath, C. & Pearson C. (2009). How Toxic Colleagues Corrode Performance. Harvard Business Review.

8. Stress
90% of all physician’s office visits are ultimately stress related.
Stress is linked to six of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. Chronic stress can result in:
Anxiety Depression
Chest pains Irregular heartbeats
Diabetes Anorexia
Forgetfulness Panic attacks
Irritability
Framberger, M. (2007). “Stress Management Strategies.” The Connection, (11), pp

9. Leadership and Energy Some leaders impart energy.
Some leaders drain energy.”
Does our performance evaluation and selection system distinguish between the two?

10. Toxic leaders
Some in positions of authority have a style that is so destructive that they not only do not add value, they are a detriment to their organizations.

11. Definition of toxic leadership
Lack of concern for the well-being of subordinates.
Personality or interpersonal style that negatively affects organizational climate.
Conviction by subordinates that the leader is motivated primarily by self-interest.

12. The Test
Test One: After talking to the alleged does the “target” feel oppressed, humiliated, de-energized, or belittled by the person? In particular, does the target feel worse about him or herself?
Test Two: Does the alleged aim his or her venom at people who are less powerful rather than at those people who are more powerful?
Sutton, R. I. (2007). The no asshole rule. New York: Warner, p. 9

14. You don’t lead people by hitting them over the head– that’s assault, not leadership.
---Dwight David Eisenhower

15. Self-awareness, self-regulation, and adaptability are key traits
A cautionary note
Not all loud, demanding, and “large personality” supervisors are toxic.
There is a time and place for almost any leadership style. The art is in matching the appropriate style to the context of a given situation.
Self-awareness, self-regulation, and adaptability are key traits

16. An organizational problem
Toxic leaders leave a wake in their path that extend long beyond their tenure.
Superiors do not see or acknowledge the negative impact of toxic leaders.

17. We should ask Do we create toxic leaders? Do we tolerate them?
What should we do
about them?
How many toxic
leaders are in your
organization?

18. Solutions/Antidotes
Name the problem (toxic leadership) and talk about it openly.
Develop and select with an eye to leadership style, not simply short term effectiveness.
Implement the “no rule.”
Hold supervisors responsible for the style of their subordinates.
Implement climate assessments. Look for the weak signals.

19. Solutions/Antidotes
Evaluate the long term health of the organization as well as accomplishment of the short term goals.
Implement 360 degree or multi-faceted evaluations for development, and eventually as a data point for promotion, selection, and assignment.
Have the hard discussions.
Attack the problem from the top down.

20. Results and leader behavior
Positive Leader Behaviors
Poor Results
Good Results
Negative Leader Behaviors

21. Additional References
Tarnished
Leadership, Toxic Leadership and Systems Thinking curated web page by George Reed
George Reed’s web page

22. Questions Discussion
George Reed

23. The Contract: A Word From the Led
And in the end we follow them – not because we are paid, not because we might see some advantage, not because of the things they have accomplished, not even because of the dreams they dream, but simply because of who they are; the man, the woman, the leader, the boss, standing up there when the wave hits the rock, passing out faith and confidence like life jackets, knowing the currents, holding the doubts, imagining the delights and terrors of every landfall; captain, pirate, and parent by turns, the bearer of our countless hopes and expectations. We give them our trust. We give them our effort. What we ask in return is that they stay true.

25. School of Public Affairs

26. Have a bad boss? Learn the triggers and avoid them
Avoid threatening or embarrassing the toxic leader, don’t “wound the bear”
Prove that you are “on their side”
Don’t take in the criticism– go numb
Take care of yourself
Do NOT vent to subordinates
Get away or minimize contact
Do not overestimate your importance to your bosses boss
Take notes, documenting times dates and witnesses
Don’t expect that it will get better