5 Types of Toxic Leaders. Are You One of Them?
Some leaders make you run away.
I do not know anyone who likes working with difficult people.
It is even more annoying when you have toxic colleagues. Yet, throughout your career, you are likely to meet some. You’d rather be prepared to recognize them.
One thing I want you to take away is that you are unlikely to change toxic people’s behavior.
“Toxic people pollute everything around them. Don’t hesitate. Fumigate.” – Mandy Hale
Nonetheless, you always have a choice. Either you try to work with them, or you leave for your mental health's sake. Work with people who respect you, and you respect them.
You probably do not want to work with these five leaders.
(*for simplification a pronoun he is used in the article when describing the types)
1. Great Performer
A leader who is desperate to climb the ladder is our first anti-hero. He is a selfish perfectionist, overly detail-oriented, and a terrible listener.
Business numbers mean more to him than good relationships. He is happiest when everything is working and can take credit for a job well done.
Don’t expect any understanding from this leader. He is likely to tell you: ‘Focus and perform.’
If you do not work as he wishes, you are on his blacklist. This manager does not want you to grow as you would become a potential threat to him. Learn to live with the fact that he will always treat you as his secretary.
If you walk the extra mile, you are just meeting expectations for this evil Great Performer.
Under his wings, you won’t get any appreciation. You are expected to perform. You were hired to do projects. Nothing else.
Expect detailed feedback with all the nuances and directions on how he would do it.
Don’t let your spirits down. A performance-driven leader has a close mindset. You don’t have to prove anything to him or compete against others.
Annoyance level: 4 (out of 5)
2. Best Friend
I have a friend I met at work.
I like hanging out with him. He never spoils any joke or fun. He is my manager but does not act like one. Great, right?
At work? Not really.
He cares about good relationships and promises everything to everyone. He is amiable, and everyone likes him.
What made him part of a toxic group of lousy leaders?
Lack of respect.
Lack of leadership and decision-making leads to a toxic atmosphere with no rules. Team members know that everything is allowed. They grow over his head.
The best friend does not want to hurt anyone. Yet, there is no sense of equality and inclusion. Instead of dealing with underperformers, the friend has fun with everyone. Instead of delivering feedback to help people grow, he says the same things.
“You are doing a good job. Keep going.”
Watch out for friendly leaders. They are likely to be friends with everyone. Can you trust them? Yes and no. With their people, they mean well. But they often decide not to act. Playing it safe makes them useless and uninspiring. In the end, you need a leader, not just a funny mate.
Annoyance level: 3 (out of 5)
3. Micromanager
Big applause for the third villain — The micromanager!
Don’t be fooled by his smile. When he asks for your hand, he takes your whole arm. He treats people like slaves and watches their backs. You carry a heavy load with your daily agenda.
The micromanager won’t let you breathe. He will continue to change every little detail. He asks you to change one word in the text, or the color of the headline, and send it back to him.
The micromanager wrote you a whole paragraph in the email stating: ‘Please reply this to this person. Thanks’. You will soon feel incapable.
Micromanagement often comes from a lack of trust and development support. Freshly promoted managers do not know how to delegate, manage their time, or lead others.
So, they are obsessed with being in control all the time. Under their watch, you are likely to:
Have endless meetings about how he does things
Need approval for every single task
Put him in every email chain
Micromanagers kill your confidence and your motivation to get better.
Why would you? He is always right. You should stop trying.
Words like development and efficiency mean nothing to him. He does not care. He endlessly bullies others. Then he qualifies as the most toxic member of our squad. I wish you had never met him!
Annoyance level: 5 (out of 5)
4. Invisible Gangster
Let me introduce you to the invisible gangster. But where is he?
That’s his trait. He is supposed to be your leader, but you never know where he is, what he does, and when you can expect his response.
He is simply not available at all!
He comes to work but spends his free time hiding. Maybe sitting on the toilet and reading newspapers, or having a meeting with himself. Maybe, he even drinks alcohol. Who knows? He is a mystery.
This leader is annoying in two ways:
You cannot discuss things with him when you need it.
He does not help you progress since he does not know what you do.
Yet, he is my favorite. He does not want anything from you. You're managing yourself, leaving when you need to, and having a free hand.
Still, he is toxic to some extent. He is not helpful and does not support you. Living in his world with his own rules.
Naturally, you would like some support, feedback, and salary discussions. The invisible gangster does some business. But no one knows with whom and how. Isn’t it better not to know?
One huge advantage of this gangster is that you do not have stress and can be relatively satisfied. It could be appealing. Imagine you work with a micromanager…
Annoyance level: 2 (out of 5)
5. Vivid complainer
Everything is a problem.
Last but not least, this toxic leader is a vivid complainer. This person is a master at demotivation. He sucks up all the positive energy and joy.
He keeps complaining about everything and anything he comes across.
The Company sucks. Budgets suck. Other people suck.
It is tiring to stay positive when this leader pours all his negative thoughts onto his team. He complains about how no one takes him seriously, about promotions, about salaries.
If he put his energy into making improvements, his coworkers would benefit greatly. Yet, that is not his coat.
People who like complaining often do not realize they do it all the time. They have a huge effect on others and undermine the working culture. I have worked with complainers who used to say:
“They won’t give us a budget for this development because they are bloody cheap.”
“They do not listen to what we say. It is pointless to try.”
“They never take us seriously and ignore our results.”
“There is not a good time now.”
Complainers limit possibilities and foster a closed mindset. They are difficult to work with. The question is, do you want to put up with them or change your job?
Annoyance level: 4 (out of 5)
What to do when you work with toxic people?
Don’t be the victim of a toxic culture.
Maintain your values and integrity by focusing on healthy relationships.
It is not easy to deal with toxic people. Yet, try discussing the behaviors you noticed and see if some boundaries can be put in place. Sometimes it works. Either way, make sure you are not one of those who make a mess at work.
You know a cliché: Employees don't leave companies. They leave bad bosses.
In the upcoming weeks, you will have a chance to explore more about toxic behavior more and learn how to deal with it.
See you next week!