Why is toxicity normalized?

In an ideal world, leadership would be synonymous with inspiration, guidance, and mentorship. Leaders would be individuals who inspire their teams to reach their full potential and create thriving organizations. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Toxic leadership is an issue that pervades all sectors of society, and what's even more perplexing is that it is often tolerated, if not outright encouraged.

So what are the reasons for toxic leadership being normalized?

1. The Illusion of Success

One of the key reasons toxic leadership continues to be tolerated is the illusion of success. Toxic leaders appear to be highly successful in the short term. They may produce results, meet targets, and appear effective on the surface. This can lead organizations and individuals to turn a blind eye to their harmful behaviors.

2. Fear of Retaliation

Fear is a powerful motivator, and toxic leaders often instill fear in those around them. Employees often fear retaliation, job loss, or harm to their reputation if they speak out. This fear keeps many from reporting or confronting toxic behavior, allowing it to persist.

3. The Halo Effect

The Halo Effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to see individuals with certain positive qualities or traits as having other positive traits, even when they do not. In the context of toxic leadership, this can lead to a disconnect between a leader's perceived positive qualities (such as charisma or technical expertise) and their actual behaviors. People may overlook or minimize toxic behaviors because of their positive perception of that leader in other aspects.

4. The Sunk Cost Fallacy

The Sunk Cost Fallacy is the idea that people are more likely to continue investing in a decision or situation they've already put time, effort, or resources into, even when it's no longer in their best interest. In organizations, this can manifest as leaders who have invested in a toxic leader, financially or emotionally, refusing to admit their mistake and cut ties. The same is true for employees, who feel they have invested too much in their career to leave the unhealthy environment, hoping that the suffering will pay off and bring results in the form of a strong CV and helpful connections.

5. The Cult of Personality

Some toxic leaders possess charismatic and captivating personalities that draw people in. They may create a sense of belonging, making it difficult for followers to disengage. This cult of personality can lead people to ignore or excuse toxic behaviors because of their attachment to the leader. This attachment grows with the leader’s rise in power as they become more and more influential and have more leverage over those who support them. It makes it harder for their targets to speak out, as they know they stand against more than just the bully themself.

6. Lack of Accountability

Toxic leadership persists when there is a lack of accountability. When leaders are not held responsible for their actions, it sends a message that their behavior is acceptable. Without consequences, the toxic leader's influence continues to grow, permeating the entire organization. This is systemically enabled as leaders' impact on team wellbeing is rarely part of their performance evaluation, making it nearly impossible to hold them accountable for dysfunctional behavior or to reward them for ethical and kind practices.

7. Resistance to change

Organizations can become stuck in their ways and resistant to change. This can prevent them from addressing toxic leadership, especially when it's been tolerated for an extended period. It takes significant effort to challenge the status quo and bring about change, usually because such transformation demands letting go of the toxic individuals as well as investing time and money in shaping a new culture.

8. Lack of Awareness

Sometimes, people simply don't recognize toxic leadership for what it is. They often attribute the leader's behavior to stress, rather than a pervasive issue. Lack of awareness can allow toxic leaders to continue unchecked.

9. The Fear of Upsetting the Status Quo

Change can be unsettling, and addressing toxic leadership disrupts the status quo. Some may fear that confronting the issue will create chaos and uncertainty within an organization. This fear of upheaval leads to complacency in the face of toxicity.

Toxic leadership is normalized for many reasons, from the allure of short-term success to the fear of retaliation and the perpetuation of harmful behaviors. Recognizing and confronting toxic leadership is essential for the wellbeing of individuals, organizations, and society at large.

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.