Avoid These Toxic Leadership Traits to Safeguard Your Career
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Understanding Toxic Leadership
This article is part of the Monday Morning Manager Series, aimed at new leaders who transitioned from team members to managers without any formal training. You can explore the complete series and its archives here.
In my previous article, I discussed detrimental leadership behaviors like taking credit for team accomplishments, favoritism, and undermining team members. These actions can severely harm your reputation, so it’s crucial to be vigilant about your leadership style.
Even seasoned managers can slip into bad habits. The perception of power can dull the ability to empathize, making it essential to recognize and avoid toxic leadership traits. Here, we will delve into three additional harmful leadership habits and how to steer clear of them to foster a more positive workplace.
Toxic Leadership Habit #1: The Saboteur
It may be surprising, but some managers actively sabotage their team members' successes. A toxic leader may undermine a disliked employee by:
- Withholding vital information
- Delaying project approvals
- Failing to allocate necessary resources, such as additional staff or budget
Other sabotage tactics include excluding individuals from meetings, providing incorrect information, and altering goals unpredictably. There is no justification for such behavior. Always focus on performance rather than personal feelings and ensure you treat everyone with kindness, honesty, and fairness. Set clear objectives and provide your team with the resources they need to succeed.
Video Description: This video explores the roots of toxic leadership and offers strategies to eliminate it from your workplace.
Toxic Leadership Habit #2: Overstepping Boundaries
Another damaging behavior exhibited by toxic leaders is a blatant disregard for personal boundaries. This can manifest in various ways, such as:
- Invading personal space
- Touching personal belongings
- Disposing of waste in others' areas
Even more concerning, some leaders may engage in inappropriate physical contact, like hugging or arm stroking, which can make team members uncomfortable. Furthermore, boundary-breaking leaders often pry into their employees' private lives, asking intrusive questions about relationships, hobbies, and more. It's important to remember that your team members are not your friends; they report to you and may not feel comfortable setting boundaries.
Toxic Leadership Habit #3: Always Right
This toxic habit reveals itself when leaders consistently believe they are correct, dismissing other viewpoints as unprofessional or biased. This mindset can stifle creativity and collaboration, as it discourages team members from sharing their ideas.
As a leader, it's vital to listen to your team and consider their insights. They may have valuable information about the organization, especially if you are new to the role.
Summary
Effective leadership hinges on strong interpersonal skills, which may not come naturally to everyone. A degree of self-awareness and reflection is essential to avoid toxic habits. Treating others with respect and attempting to understand situations from your team's perspective will help you steer clear of these detrimental behaviors.
Great leadership is about making the right choices and avoiding the wrong ones. Reflect on the leaders you admire; their teams often evaluate them based on people skills rather than just qualifications.
As a Learning & Development professional, I've created The New Leader's Starter Kit to help leaders communicate effectively with their teams. Get your free copy here — The New Leader's Starter Kit includes resources for conducting one-on-ones, giving constructive feedback, and developing listening skills, complete with printable forms.
Video Description: This video outlines three harsh truths about leadership that many new leaders are unprepared for.