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7 Signs YOU Are the Toxic Leader

Jamie Hairston
8 min readFeb 21, 2024

Have you ever wondered if your leadership style might be why your team’s vibe has been off lately?

Hey there! Let’s talk about a little something called self-awareness in leadership. It’s super important, right? But here’s the thing — sometimes, without even realizing it, leaders can slip into habits that are more toxic than helpful, and that’s not great for anyone. Instead of building the team up, these habits can bring everyone down, creating a vibe no one wants to be part of.

Now, figuring out if you are “the toxic leader” can be a bit of a tough pill to swallow. It’s not easy to look in the mirror and see things we might not like. Hey, if I don’t tell you, someone else may and not near as nicely as I am.

Photo Courtesy of Pexels: Yogendra Singh

Lack of Empathy

One of the most apparent signs you might be veering into toxic territory as a leader is when empathy and emotional intelligence are missing from your toolbox.

Empathy is all about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s understanding the what and why behind your team’s feelings and actions. When this element is MIA, you’re likely not considering how your decisions and words land with your team. Imagine you’re plowing ahead with a project and ignoring clear signs of burnout or frustration. That’s a recipe for a disheartened crew, feeling more like…

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Jamie Hairston
Jamie Hairston

Written by Jamie Hairston

Jamie is a former addiction counselor who now writes fiction about substance abuse and mental health issues.

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