How toxic leaders destroy people as well as organisations. (2015)

“… toxic leadership … is endangering the well-being of organisational members, compromising future sustainable organisational, community and societal performance and success.

Theo Veldsman, Professor and Head, Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg
The Conversation 14 January 2015

Toxic leadership represents the “dark” side of leadership. It affects individuals as well as organisations.

In the case of individuals, toxic leadership refers to ongoing, deliberate, intentional actions by a leader to undermine the sense of dignity, self-worth and efficacy of an individual. This results in exploitative, destructive, devaluing and demeaning work experiences. These destructive actions may be physical, psychosocial or even spiritual when they diminish a person’s meaning and purpose.

A toxic organisation is one that erodes, disables and destroys the physiological, psychosocial and spiritual well being of the people who work in it in permanent and deliberate ways. In other words, an organisation becomes metaphorically a “poison pill” for employees.

… toxic leadership … is in no uncertain terms endangering the well-being of organisational members, compromising future sustainable organisational, community and societal performance and success.

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