Member-only story

The Toxic Trickle: How Toxic Leadership Bleeds Downward

Jamie Hairston
3 min readApr 4, 2024

--

I have worked for many companies in different job roles, and toxic work environments are increasing, OR I am becoming more aware of them as I get older. The pandemic may have even exacerbated this issue a bit. This is a topic I am passionate about, and I hope you enjoy today’s post.

Toxic leadership is a big problem everywhere, from giant companies to small charities. When bosses act in ways that hurt the team, like being manipulative, mean, or super self-centered, without caring about others.

Even though it’s clear this is bad news, it still happens often, messing up the workplace vibe, breaking trust, and stopping growth. Let’s dive into why it sticks around and how it shakes things up at work.

Why does toxic leadership hit so hard in workplaces?

How a boss leads can shape the place’s vibe and how everyone acts. Figuring out how toxic leadership spreads its negative vibes is important. It helps us find ways to fix things and make the workplace better for everyone.

Photo Courtesy of Pexels: Anna Shvets

The Downward Spiral: Effects on Employees

Toxic leadership doesn’t just stay at the top; it seeps down and affects everyone in the organization, hitting front-line employees the hardest. This kind of leadership can mess with people’s…

--

--

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.

No responses yet