For those of us who are employed, toxic bosses can be a big issue for some of us.
How your boss chooses to lead their team can mean the difference between enjoying or disliking your job. Toxic bosses exist in all organisations so how can we learn to spot the red flags?
Signs of a Toxic Boss
Poor bosses can vary and range from being bullies to micromanagers to poor communicators.
So, what are the biggest signs to watch out for so we can either avoid toxic bosses or at least learn to manage them:
They can be critical of others
Constant criticism can be a sign of toxicity. Instead of offering helpful, constructive feedback, it can feel like your boss can only point out what you do wrong. Support isn’t offered and their comments can feel negative.
Constant criticism can decrease self-esteem and make people doubt their ability to perform their job well. This constant criticism can be a sign that a toxic boss is using their power to control employees in an unhealthy way
They Take Credit for Others’ Work
This kind of behaviour at work can be a big red flag of a toxic boss. When a boss does this, they aren't just using your hard work to boost their own career—they are also dismissing your contributions as an employee.
It can be particularly frustrating when it’s a boss taking credit for someone else’s work, as it might be tricky to speak up in the workplace about this mistreatment.
This behavior can also contribute to a toxic work culture where employees feel unappreciated and undervalued and are more likely to disengage with work.
A great boss knows that a successful, motivated team is the mark of a great leader.
They Don’t Respect Their Team
Healthy work relationships thrive with respect and trust. If a boss regularly shows a lack of respect for employees in the workplace, it can be a sign of a toxic dynamic that can undermine stability and happiness at work.
Signs of poor respect include dismissing employee ideas or showing a general disregard for your input. Such behavior is often a sign that they don't value you as a team member.
They Micromanage Every Detail
Effective bosses know how to mentor employees and offer guidance, whilst still allowing people to work independently. Micromanaging can be a sign of mistrust and can often be a red flag of a toxic boss.
If someone feels like their boss is always hovering over their shoulder and checking up on their work, it can make it hard for an employee to perform at their best. For some employees, it can create a sense of anxiety and pressure.
They choose a favourite employee
Toxic bosses may choose favourite employees, giving preferential treatment to certain employees based on their own biases. This can create a tense dynamic amongst employees that can create an unhealthy environment. Favourite employees may be given excessive praise, better working conditions, social privileges and access to information that other employees may be excluded from.
When employees aren't part of their boss's "inner circle," employees can feel ostracised, demotivated, and even discriminated against.
They Don’t Listen and Won’t Accept Feedback
Another potential red flag of a toxic boss could be the inability to listen and accept input from employees. When bosses ignore employee feedback, shut down ideas, or make decisions accepting other ideas, it can be a sign of authoritarian leadership.
These bosses can rule teams using fear and intimidation and aren't willing to listen to team members' ideas.
Impact of a Toxic Boss
Employees with a toxic boss are less likely to feel satisfied with their job, and dealing with a toxic boss can eventually start to grind away at confidence and self-worth. Toxic leaders can be damaging to mental well-being because of the impact they can have on a number of areas important to the working experience of an employee.
Toxic bosses can create high employee turnover, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, burnout, poor office morale and reduced productivity.
Strategies for Dealing With a Toxic Boss
So, what can we do to cope with a toxic boss? While it might be tempting to quit, that isn't always necessary or possible. Fortunately, there are several steps we can take to deal with a toxic boss:
Document Everything that happens at work, emails and interactions
Set Clear Boundaries with a toxic boss and make it clear that you are not willing to engage in unethical behaviors or deal with work-related tasks during your non-working hours
Suggest Solutions to manage some of their toxic behaviours
Have an Honest Conversation about how their behaviour is impacting you at work
Stay professional and calm during interactions and avoid becoming upset.
If your boss's behaviour becomes intolerable then talk to HR about what you are experiencing and try to resolve it with a plan going forward to address your worries and concerns x
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