Toxic leadership: the Definition, Traits and Examples

Article by: Lars Weijers

Last update: February 18, 2025

Toxic leadership: this article explains the concept of toxic leadership. In addition to the meaning, the characteristics and matching behaviors are explained. Next, the consequences of toxic leadership are illustrated through a number of examples. Finally, tips for dealing with a toxic corporate culture are shared. Enjoy reading!

What is toxic leadership?

Good leadership is one of the most important factors for a successful and healthy organization. An inspiring leader motivates teams, encourages growth and contributes to a positive work environment. But what if a leader has just the opposite effect? Toxic leadership is a common problem in companies, where a leader causes damage within teams and the organization as a whole through manipulative or destructive behavior.

From unpredictable behavior and micromanagement to creating a culture of fear, toxic leaders can have a crippling effect on employee productivity, motivation and well-being.

The definition of Toxic leadership

Toxic leadership refers to a destructive form of leadership in which the leader undermines the well-being of employees and the organization. This can manifest itself in intimidating behavior, manipulation, lack of empathy and control-seeking. Instead of supporting and growing employees, toxic leaders often sow doubt, fear and uncertainty.
A toxic leader can express himself in several ways:

Authoritarian and controlling: a toxic leader does not allow dissent and expects blind obedience.
Unpredictable behavior: a toxic leader is friendly and motivating one day, furious and critical the next.
Overly competitive: a toxic leader creates a work atmosphere in which employees see each other as competitors rather than colleagues.
Lack of responsibility: a toxic leader blames mistakes on others and refuses to take responsibility himself.

It is important to see the difference between demanding leadership and toxic leadership. A demanding leader sets high standards but remains respectful and supportive. A toxic leader, on the other hand, undermines trust and creates a destructive work culture.

Traits of toxic leadership and behaviors of a toxic leader

Not all toxic leaders behave in the same way. However, there are some recurring characteristics and behaviors. Note that a leader is not immediately a toxic leader when he or she displays one or more of these characteristics and behaviors. A person can only be called a toxic leader when these behaviors persist over an extended period of time and have a detrimental effect on the organization and employees. The key characteristics of toxic leadership are described in more detail below.

Micromanagement

A toxic leader often struggles to place trust in his or her employees. This results in micromanagement, where the leader monitors and controls every little decision or action of an employee. This behavior leads to frustration and demotivation in employees because they do not feel supported in their work and their independence and creativity are hindered.

Lack of empathy

Toxic leaders often show little or no empathy for their employees. They are not attentive to the personal or professional needs of their team members and may show little understanding of problems or stress experienced by employees. This can result in an impersonal work environment in which employees do not feel valued or supported.

Negative and destructive communication

Instead of constructive feedback, toxic leaders often use a negative, destructive communication style. For example, they may publicly criticize or belittle employees. This type of communication causes employees to feel insecure, anxious or even undisciplined, leading to a reduction in their self-confidence and performance.

Autocratic leadership

Toxic leaders are often autocratic, meaning they hold power in their hands and give little room for input or cooperation from their employees. Decisions are made without consultation and employees have little or no say in their own work. This creates a lack of motivation and engagement, as employees often do not feel heard.

Unrealistic expectations

A toxic leader often sets unrealistic expectations and goals for his or her employees. A consistently high workload is imposed without regard to the team’s capabilities or limits. This can lead to burnout, absenteeism and a decreased sense of accomplishment among employees.

Unfair treatment

Toxic leaders often display favoritism, where some employees are given more opportunities and benefits than others simply because the leader has personal preferences. This creates an unhealthy work atmosphere where employees do not feel treated equally, which can lead to conflict, mistrust and demotivation within the team.

Manipulation and intimidation

Instead of honest communication, toxic leaders often use manipulation and intimidation to achieve their goals. This can manifest itself in twisting facts, making false promises or threatening employees to get their way. This behavior creates a culture of fear in which employees feel compelled to do things that are not in their best interest, simply for fear of the consequences.

Little to no appreciation

A toxic leader rarely shows appreciation for his or her team’s efforts and achievements. Employees receive little recognition for their hard work, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration. When recognition does occur, it is often superficial or given only to the leader’s so-called ‘darling’.

Avoiding responsibility

Toxic leaders often do not take responsibility for their own mistakes and shift blame to others. This can increase employees’ sense of insecurity, because they know they will always be blamed when something goes wrong, regardless of whether they are actually responsible.

Avoiding conflict resolution

Instead of resolving conflicts constructively, toxic leaders often tend to ignore or suppress problems. They avoid confrontations or allow conflicts to escalate, rather than actively seeking resolution. This can lead to long-term tensions within the team, harming overall cooperation and atmosphere.

The consequences of toxic leadership

The consequences of toxic leadership are profound and can cause serious harm to both employees and the organization. The main consequences of toxic leadership for both employees and the organization are briefly explained.

Impact on employees

Stress and burnout: prolonged exposure to toxic leadership increases stress levels and can lead to mental and physical exhaustion in employees.
Low motivation and engagement: employees lose enthusiasm and commitment to work due to lack of appreciation and empathy from the leader.
Increased employee turnover: employees are more likely to leave the organization, leading to high turnover and higher recruitment costs. This is not only costly to the organization, but can also lead to a loss of knowledge and experience.

Impact on business performance

Low productivity: fear and uncertainty lead to less efficiency and a drop in performance.
Reduced innovation: employees do not feel safe to propose new ideas because they fear a negative reaction.
Poorer collaboration: toxic leaders create a divisive and unsafe work culture, hindering collaboration among colleagues.

Toxic corporate culture

Sometimes toxic leadership goes beyond one person and becomes part of the corporate culture. This happens when toxic behavior is ignored, tolerated or even rewarded. Signs of a toxic corporate culture include a culture of fear, high levels of absenteeism and lack of employee engagement. A toxic corporate culture makes it difficult to attract and retain talent. Therefore, it is crucial that companies recognize and address toxic leadership early.

Tips to recognize and address toxic leadership

Now that it is clear exactly what toxic leadership is and what its consequences are, we share some tips for recognizing and addressing toxic leadership. Tips are shared for employees and for organizations.

Tips for employees

Tip 1: Watch for micromanagement

Recognize when your supervisor is constantly monitoring your work and has no confidence in your abilities. This can be a sign of toxic behavior. To counter this, communicate your need for autonomy and ask for more confidence in your work.

Tip 2: Recognize lack of positive feedback

If your supervisor only criticizes without positive feedback, this can lead to demotivation and insecurity. Ask for specific positive feedback and discuss the importance of recognition for your work.

Tip 3: Watch for manipulation or intimidation

If you feel intimidated or notice your leader threatening or manipulating you to achieve his goals, toxic leadership is present. In this situation, seek support from HR or a confidential advisor and consider having a conversation about the behavior.

Tip 4: Ensure a good work-life balance

When your workload is unrealistically high and you have no space left for your personal life, chances are you are dealing with a toxic leader. Indicate when you are overloaded and set boundaries, such as time for yourself or clearer work expectations.

Tip 5: Inequitable treatment or favoritism

If you notice that some colleagues are being unfairly favored, this may be a sign of favoritism. Discuss this openly and honestly with other colleagues you trust, your supervisor or HR if you feel you have been treated unfairly.

Tips for organizations

Tip 1: Implement leadership training

Organizations should provide training in self-awareness, communication and ethical leadership so that leaders can improve their behavior. Establish programs that help leaders become aware of their impact on the team and employee well-being.

Tip 2: Create open communication channels

Make sure employees feel safe to share problems or concerns about leadership without fear of negative consequences. For example, establish confidential hotlines and encourage transparency.

Tip 3: Monitor workload and well-being

Organizations should actively monitor employee workload and well-being to prevent toxic leadership from leading to burnout. Conduct regular well-being measurements and provide support during stressful periods.

Tip 4: Provide conflict management support

Managers should be able to address conflict in a constructive way and support employees in resolving problems. For example, organize training in conflict management for managers and provide a neutral, third party if needed.

Tip 5: Promote fair and equal treatment

Favoritism can create a toxic work environment. Organizations should provide equal opportunity and ensure that employees are treated fairly. At all times, ensure objective appraisal systems and transparent decisions about promotions and rewards.

It’s Your Turn

What do you think? Do you now know enough about toxic leadership? Can you recognize the signs of toxic leadership and address it? What insights have you gained or tips on leadership would you like to share?

Share your knowledge and experience via the comment box at the bottom of this article. Want to learn more about different leadership theories? Then also read our articles on adaptive leadership, coaching leadership or any of the other leadership styles, for example.

More information about Toxic leadership

Aubrey, D. W. (2012). The effect of toxic leadership. US Army War College.
Management Spark, (2023). Toxisch leiderschap: een verborgen fenomeen of een hype?. Retrieved from: https://www.managementspark.com/2023/12/toxisch-leiderschap-een-verborgen-fenomeen-of-een-hype/
Vandamme, T. (2024). Via: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/06/28/hoe-ga-je-om-met-een-toxische-baas-op-de-werkvloer/.
Moreels, A. (2024). Wist je dat … je als hr-professional best een zicht hebt op wat toxisch leiderschap is?. Retrieved from: https://www.hrmconnect.be/nieuws/nieuwsbericht/720858527752526627
Redactie Frankwatching, (2024). Opgemerkt: 3 onmiskenbare tekenen van toxisch leiderschap. Via: https://www.frankwatching.com/channel/opgemerkt-3-onmiskenbare-tekenen-van-toxisch-leiderschap/.
Reed, G. E. (2004). Toxic leadership. Military review, 84(4), 67-71.
Singh, N., Sengupta, S., & Dev, S. (2018). Toxic leadership: The most menacing form of leadership. Dark sides of organizational behavior and leadership, 147-164.
Tavanti, M. (2011). Managing toxic leaders: Dysfunctional patterns in organizational leadership and how to deal with them. Human Resource Management, 2011, 127-136.

How to cite this article:
Weijers, L. (2025). Toxic leadership. Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/leadership/toxic-leadership/

Original publication date: 02/18/2025 | Last update: 02/18/2025

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Article by:

Lars Weijers

Lars Weijers is an experienced copywriter with an extensive marketing communications background. His specialisms lie in creative and active writing, combined with good search engine findability. Lars also works as an event and account manager with a commercial focus.