Toxic leaders at any level of a business can cause significant problems. It is therefore important that you recognise the signs that it is happening and take steps to improve leadership in the workplace.
The problems of toxicity
A bad leader misuses power, which results in inadequate progress, absence of trust, and poor teamwork in the office. In turn, this leads to many problems, including difficulties in recruiting and retaining talent, poor mental health for your employees, and workplace bullying. To avoid poor leadership, make sure the managers at your business have proper training or coaching. To find a business coach, use a relevant internet search term for your area, such as Worcester business coaching, to get results like https://www.randall-payne.co.uk/services/business-advisory/business-coaching/worcester. If you have concerns over how your workplace is run, look out for some key signs to decide how best to act.
Signs of toxicity at work
Toxic leaders often demonstrate a lack of clarity, leading to confusion among workers. They may provide only minimal feedback, meaning that employees are left uncertain about what they have done well and where they need to improve.
Another sign you should look out for is dishonesty. Toxic leaders are masters of gaslighting, maybe saying one thing and doing another, changing deadlines without notice, or placing the blame for their own mistakes on others. This results in a workplace where employees are unsure who they can trust.
You may think positivity is the opposite of toxic, but too much positivity is damaging. Not every situation is positive, so you need team leaders who can listen and act on problems, not ones who will dismiss them. Tough conversations are a feature of leadership, which ensures that problems are resolved, and a good leader will not shy away from this.
A poor leader tends to be arrogant, refusing to countenance that they can ever be wrong. Instead, their opinions are to be treated as facts without question. This may be based on a belief in the importance of hierarchy, when they use their position to control others and block their decisions.
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