The rise of toxic leaders in organisations. (2016)

“In.. two decades as an executive coach … I’ve seen a disproportionate share of toxic leaders… Here are some things I’ve learned as a result of my experiences.

Ray Williams, coaching practitioner
International Coach Federation Blog, 25 Feb 2016.

“…anecdotal and research evidence shows that one out of every five leaders is toxic, and (may be) closer to three out of every ten leaders.

“In my last two decades as an executive coach, working mostly with senior executives and CEOs in both private and public organizations, I’ve seen a disproportionate share of toxic leaders who continue to do harm to their employees and their organizations, despite all our knowledge about what constitutes good leadership, particularly with reference to emotional intelligence, humility and compassion. Working with toxic leaders and those who work with them presents a real challenge to coaches – one that raises the bar for success.

“Here are some things I’ve learned as a result of my experiences:

• … those responsible for hiring senior executives …need to embrace the research on what constitutes good leadership.
• Psychometric and clinical psychological assessments of leadership candidates should be part of the recruitment and interview process to flag the extreme narcissists, psychopaths and borderline personalities.
• A longer probationary period (minimum of one year) needs to be in place for new hires.

(More…….)

Read the full blog here: The rise of toxic leaders

If you’re interested in this perspective on managing hubris, and you’re in the UK, you might consider attending the upcoming conference ‘Working with hubris in the coaching relationship’. More information here: Link to Ashridge Conference