While it is up to HR to ensure leadership positions are given to the best possible candidate, the hiring process isn’t a perfect one. Unfortunately, some leadership styles don’t fully reveal themselves until it’s time to address real-world scenarios. There is always room for improvement, and implementing leadership training is a great strategy to see more positive results. Yet only 25% of senior managers agree that leadership training is crucial for business outcomes. If leadership development programs are pushed to the wayside, what was only a few red flags could eventually result in toxic leadership within the workplace.
Unmasking Toxic Leadership Cultures
One of the methods to view a well-rounded approach to a leader’s relationship with their employees is to gather opinions from the employees themselves. However, this isn’t a foolproof method.
Recent studies from Ohio State University discovered that employees sometimes label “abusive” behavior from their boss as simply “tough love.” This occurrence is more likely to happen if the employees view either their leader or their team as successful. The reluctance to call out abusive behavior is present even after receiving messages such as, “Don’t waste my time coming up with stupid ideas!” as long as it’s coming from a high-performing leader.
If employees at your organization are seeing success, you might not get a clear-cut answer on whether their leader is portraying toxic behaviors. What employees might write off as “tough love” could very easily build up stress within the team until they reach a breaking point. According to a study from Gallup, 50% of 7,272 U.S. workers quit their jobs to leave behind their manager. With the cost of replacing an employee rising to twice an employee’s annual salary, it is critical for HR to ensure leaders are engaging in healthy leadership styles.
Spotting the Signs
If you suspect managers in your organization may be engaging in toxic leadership, look out for these red flags:
- Unhelpful Criticism: While every employee can benefit from learning how to improve, a toxic leader is more likely to provide criticism without constructive advice.
- Lack of Communication: If employees at your company are consistently left in the dark about details required for their tasks, you might have a toxic boss on your hands.
- Favoritism: If you notice a select few employees within a team are receiving rewards, favoritism may be at play, allowing other employees to go unappreciated in the meantime.
Revamping Leadership Through Development
There is always a chance that problematic management styles can be remediated with training and support, especially if leaders are unaware of the effects of their behavior. Leadership development programs are a great way to enhance manager/employee relationships, but they must be intentional.
When offering training for leadership development, begin the program with clear objectives. Allow room for discussions and role-play scenarios challenging the manager’s weak points. After the program is complete, monitor their progress in how they decide to lead their employees in future progress.
Ensuring Leadership Success
An effective team leader is a well-known essential for the success of a team. Unfortunately, not every leader is helping their team reach their maximum potential, and some can be downright problematic. However, if HR teams can put strategic development programs in place, they can ensure that their teams are consistently reaching organizational goals.
