**Are You a Toxic Leader?

By Lt. Joseph Pangaro CPM, MOI

10 Signs You Might Be—and How Your Behavior Impacts Everyone Around You**

Have you ever worked for a toxic leader? Most of us have at one point or another in our careers. We see the damage they can do to individuals and to an organization. I worked for a very toxic leader. He took a thriving organization and over time crushed the spirit of the majority of the employees, turned team members against each other, and destroyed morale and productivity.

The environment became so destructive that the goal for the employee was to stay under the radar, keep out of sight, and don’t rock the boat. Instead of moving the mission of the organization forward the main function of the day was to avoid getting written up or charged with a random violation of a policy or order.

People broke out into teams that were either trying to weather the storm and avoid problems or those that chose to try and appease the dysfunctional leader to gain favor or benefit. This caused an ever further break down of the organization.

In most cases punishment or harassment depended on who you were in the organization, were you on “His” team or not. If you were on his team you were given a wide berth on the rules, mistakes were over looked or ignored. If you weren’t on his team anything could be grounds for punishment. 

A question many of us had was “Why does he behave this way, can’t he see what he’s doing to the organization?” 

Over the fullness of time, as I have worked with many different leaders and been a leader myself, I have come to understand that some of these toxic leaders have no idea how their behavior affects an organization. But for the majority I believe they have an innate fear of their own incompetence. To make up for that fear they “bully” those around them, hide behind their power and use intimidation as a weapon to try and camouflage their shortcomings. A common saying in many hallways of toxic leaders is “The Emperor has no clothes”

This is a terrible situation for all concerned and this is why I wrote this article. To try and help leaders look inward and understand themselves so they can become great leaders.  

Most people don’t wake up in the morning intending to be a toxic leader. Yet toxic leadership is far more common than many want to admit. Some leaders know exactly what they’re doing and justify it as “tough leadership.” Others are completely unaware of the damage they cause. And some are simply repeating what they’ve seen modeled by their own supervisors.

But here’s the truth: if your leadership consistently demoralizes, intimidates, or exhausts the people you’re supposed to guide, you may be a toxic leader—even if your intentions are good.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness. Because once you recognize toxic patterns, you can change them. And when you do, everyone wins: your team, your organization, and your own long‑term success.

Below are 10 traits commonly displayed by toxic leaders, followed by the real‑world consequences they create and the reasons leaders often fall into these patterns.

10 Traits of Toxic Leaders

1. You Micromanage Everything

If you constantly hover, correct, or override your team’s decisions, you’re signaling that you don’t trust them. Micromanagement suffocates creativity and slows productivity.

2. You Take Credit but Shift Blame

If success is “yours” but failure is “theirs,” your team will quickly lose motivation and respect. This behavior destroys psychological safety.

3. You Lead Through Fear

Yelling, intimidation, threats, or humiliation may get short‑term compliance, but they create long‑term resentment and turnover.

4. You Play Favorites

Rewarding loyalty over competence, or giving special treatment to certain employees, fractures team cohesion and breeds hostility.

5. You Don’t Listen

If employees feel dismissed, interrupted, or ignored, they stop offering ideas—and eventually stop caring.

6. You’re Emotionally Volatile

Mood swings, unpredictable reactions, or emotional outbursts force employees into “survival mode,” constantly guessing what version of you they’ll get.

7. You Set Unrealistic Expectations

Demanding constant overtime, impossible deadlines, or perfection creates burnout and drives good employees away.

8. You Withhold Information

Keeping employees in the dark—whether intentionally or through disorganization—creates confusion, mistakes, and mistrust.

9. You Avoid Accountability

If you never admit mistakes, never apologize, or always find someone else to blame, your team learns that honesty is dangerous.

10. You Discourage Growth or Independence

If you feel threatened by strong performers, block promotions, or refuse to delegate, you’re not leading—you’re limiting.

How Toxic Leadership Harms Employees and Organizations

Toxic leadership doesn’t just create a bad day at work. It has measurable, lasting consequences.

1. Declining Morale

Employees under toxic leadership often feel defeated, anxious, or undervalued. Over time, they disengage emotionally from their work.

2. Increased Turnover

People don’t leave jobs—they leave bosses. Toxic leadership is one of the top reasons employees quit, costing companies thousands in recruitment and training.

3. Reduced Productivity

Fear, confusion, and constant stress drain cognitive energy. Employees spend more time managing the leader’s behavior than doing their actual work.

4. Loss of Innovation

When people are afraid to speak up, organizations stagnate. Creativity requires psychological safety, not fear of retaliation.

5. Damaged Reputation

Word spreads quickly—internally and externally. Toxic leaders can tarnish a company’s brand, making it harder to attract talent and customers.

6. Increased Absenteeism and Burnout

Toxic environments take a physical and emotional toll. Stress‑related illnesses, mental health struggles, and burnout skyrocket.

7. Ethical and Legal Risks

Leaders who bully, discriminate, or retaliate expose organizations to lawsuits, investigations, and public scrutiny.

8. Breakdown of Trust

Once trust is gone, collaboration collapses. Teams become fragmented, defensive, and unwilling to take initiative.

Why Do People Become Toxic Leaders?

Toxic leadership rarely comes from a single cause. More often, it’s a combination of personal history, workplace culture, and internal pressures. Here are some common reasons:

1. They Learned It from Their Own Leaders

People often lead the way they were led. If someone grew up in a culture of fear, control, or aggression, they may believe that’s what leadership looks like.

2. Insecurity or Fear of Failure

Leaders who feel threatened—by talented employees, by expectations, or by their own self‑doubt—may resort to controlling or defensive behaviors.

3. Lack of Training

Many leaders are promoted for technical skill, not leadership ability. Without proper development, they rely on instinct—and instinct isn’t always healthy.

4. Stress and Burnout

Overwhelmed leaders often lash out, withdraw, or make impulsive decisions. Toxic behavior can be a symptom of unmanaged stress.

5. Desire for Power or Control

Some individuals genuinely enjoy authority and misuse it. They equate leadership with dominance rather than service.

6. Blind Spots

Some leaders simply don’t realize the impact of their behavior. They may think they’re being “direct,” “efficient,” or “high‑standards,” unaware of the damage they cause.

Another thing that leads to bad leadership is the reality that the best people are not always moved to the main office. Many leaders are politically connected, have a relationship with the higher levels of the organization or have some other connection that moves them along. And, as many of us know, the person chosen to lead is willing to do the bidding of those promoting them, good or bad. 

In any case good leadership is a the center of any great organization and affects many lives.  

Final Thoughts: Awareness Is the First Step Toward Better Leadership

If you recognized yourself in any of these traits, that doesn’t make you a bad person—it makes you human. Leadership is a skill, not a personality trait. And like any skill, it can be improved.

The most effective leaders are not the ones who never make mistakes. They’re the ones who are willing to look in the mirror, acknowledge their impact, and choose to grow.