How to spot a toxic leader?

“Toxic leaders come in all shapes and sizes” is the opening line of a research paper on toxic leadership written by prof. Jean Lipman-Blumen, a renowned academic with a wealth of work focusing on toxic leaders. Here are some common dysfunctional behaviors, which can help you identify whether you are dealing with a toxic leader:

1. Patronizing Behavior

A significant red flag of a toxic leader is patronizing behavior. Regardless of your experience, age, or background, there is no justification for being spoken down to. If you find yourself on the receiving end of condescending remarks or demeaning attitudes, it's a clear sign that this leader is attempting to make you feel small. This behavior often stems from their own insecurities.

2. Excessive Charm and Manipulation

Toxic leaders can be incredibly charming and charismatic, often appearing as the life of the party. However, their charm is often a facade that conceals manipulative intentions. You may find yourself agreeing to take on extra work, responsibilities, and exerting additional effort without receiving due recognition or appreciation. If you constantly feel like you're doing them a favor, while they bask in the benefits of your hard work, it's a red flag that you're being manipulated.

3. Dishonesty and Broken Promises

Toxic leaders frequently resort to dishonesty. They might make promises of promotions, pay raises, time off, or other incentives, but these commitments often remain unfulfilled. It's not uncommon for them to appear friendly and engaging while secretly harboring contempt. If your intuition tells you that their words and actions don't align, dishonesty is a major red flag that should not be ignored.

4. Creating a Hostile Environment

Toxic leaders may subtly create an uncomfortable environment through occasional insensitive comments. These comments can target your age, nationality, or even take on a sexist tone. While on the surface, everything may seem fine, these occasional glimpses of ignorance and disrespect reveal their true feelings. Feeling constantly undervalued or disrespected due to prejudice or bias is a clear indicator of a toxic leader.

5. Neglect of Their Own Health

A leader who consistently neglects their own wellbeing is a massive red flag. Whether they are overworked, stressed, or engage in self-destructive habits like excessive drinking, smoking, over-exercising or having poor eating habits, it indicates a lack of regard for their own health. Such leaders are unlikely to prioritize the wellbeing of their team members, and focus more on financial gains and recognition, which they hold in such high regards that they neglect their own wellbeing.

6. Humiliation and Belittlement

Toxic leaders often exhibit a Jekyll and Hyde personality. Initially, they may appear cool, humorous, and generous, but then they abruptly shift to a darker side. They may use personal information to belittle or make dismissive comments about your performance or appearance in front of others. This behavior can create a hostile dynamic within the team and is a glaring red flag of toxic leadership.

Identifying a toxic leader is crucial for protecting yourself and your team from the damaging consequences of their behavior. Toxic leadership not only harms individuals but can have wide-reaching negative effects on organizations, communities, and society at large. Recognizing the red flags is the first step toward addressing this issue and fostering healthier, more positive leadership.

These are only some of the red flags to pay attention to. To learn about how toxic leadership manifests in practice, visit our Experiences of toxic leadership page to read stories, which illustrate these harmful patterns and their impact.

To read about what to consider when you find yourself working in an unhealthy environment facilitated by a toxic leader visit our How to deal with toxic leadership page.