Negative Leadership Styles: Toxic Management
Introduction
There are a number of leadership styles and approaches. Of these styles, some are very common but not the best approaches of leadership. Examples are Post-hoc Management, Micromanagement, Seagull Management, Mushroom Management, Kipper Management, and Toxic Management. Toxic Management is the most common of all these.
Toxic Management
Toxic management can be defined as a leadership approach where bosses bully or harass those working under them.
Toxic management is a management approach that has been commonly practiced in organizations. This approach is yields to a toxic work environment (Calow, 2009, p. 154).
The best way to spot a toxic leader is by looking around at the work place or the environment in which they are. Usually, a work place where there toxic management is the king of leadership used, the following will be experienced:
- High staff turnover
- Frequent sickness absence
- Many cases that call for disciplinary action
- Many complaints from customers and even the employees themselves.
- Employees may choose to retire from their careers earlier than they should, according to Straker (2011).
A toxic leader (always grumpy and angry)
When and how the theory is useful
The approach can only be useful where one is trying to bring an end to an organization. There is no positive element that has been recorded about toxic management.
Drawbacks of the management approach
Toxic management can result to reduced productivity and increased productivity. This approach can also lead to the destruction of other people’s careers. A lot of working time is wasted as a result of using this approach. Toxic management also results to working conditions that are not psychologically fit for the employees.
Major models associated with the theory
Toxic management is an unprofessional approach of management and so no model has been put in place to support it. Rather, ways and policies have been formulated and put in place by organizations to help protect their employees from toxic leaders. One is that a toxic leader should not be tolerated at any cost. This is because they can cause a lot of harm to the existence of an organization.
Conclusion
Toxic management is a practice that should not be practiced in any organization. This is because the approach is only known for its negative impacts. A work environment should be a conducive one, to allow the employees to give their best, which is impossible in the chance that employees are subjected to a toxic working environment.
Examples of Toxic Leaders
A commander of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Ambrose, 2001). LTC Tom Kunk, and Bobby Knight.
Tom Kunk, a battalion commander, was a well known toxic leader.
References
Straker David. (2011). Leadership styles. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/leadership_styles.htm
Calow P. Peter. (2009). Handbook of Environmental Risk Assessment and Management. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Ambrose E. Stephen. (2001). Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
New York City: Simon & Schuster
