Avoiding the Toxic Leadership Characters
If you have ever been a teacher you may well be able to relate to these characters who display toxic leadership traits. The bosses everyone dreads having. Those that make you wish David Brent could take over. Forbes goes into more detail about toxic leaders here. If you can think of any others add them in the comments!
1. The Master of Surprise
Will appear when you least expect it. They may be trying to catch you out. They may not. Who can tell?
2. The credit taker.
Had a great idea? Project implemented successfully? Oh no you didn’t.
3. The Quasher of Creativity
It’s their way or the highway I’m afraid. You are here to do the work they tell you. Keep those ideas to yourself.
4. The Blameshifter
Also see number 2, will take the credit but if something goes wrong. Guess who’s fault that will be!
5. The Helicopter Leader
Want every decision questioned? Do you love having someone looking over your shoulder? Don’t like being trusted? Well you need the helicopter boss. The joys of working under a helicopter leader – those micromanaging, constantly-hovering bosses who just can’t seem to resist the urge to swoop in and “help” with every little task. You know the type – they’ll bombard your inbox with a thousand emails a day, insisting on being CC’d on every single message, and God forbid you make a decision without first running it by them. And the dreaded “check-ins”? Forget about it. You might as well just set up a cot under your desk, because that’s how much time you’ll be spending in your manager’s office, justifying your every move. It’s a wonder these leaders even bother hiring anyone when they don’t trust their team to operate without their watchful eye. But hey, at least you’ll never have to worry about job security – as long as you don’t mind feeling like a toddler who needs constant supervision, that is. Ah, the joys of the helicopter boss. Where’s the ejector seat on this thing?
How to Deal with Toxic Leadership
While Dementor managers aren’t myths, they can drain employee morale just the same. According to one study, 29% of workers quit a job to escape a toxic supervisor.
How can you protect your happiness around these Nightmare Bosses? Here are some tips:
“When people show you who they are, believe them.” – Maya Angelou
Don’t make excuses for them. A toxic boss will continue toxic behaviour as long as they get away with it. You deserve better.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Don’t internalize their criticism. Refuse to absorb their negativity.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore
Spread positivity. Crack jokes. Appreciate coworker wins. Little acts of optimism make the days brighter.
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey
Lean on your work allies. Vent to each other, brainstorm coping strategies and celebrate successes.
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou
Stay determined. File complaints if needed. Seek a transfer. Update your personal statement and CV. The situation is temporary – you’ve got this!
FAQs About Toxic Leadership
Q: Is it ever acceptable for a boss to use fear or shame as motivation?
A: Absolutely not. That falls firmly in the toxic category. Positive leaders bring out the best in employees.
Q: What if the boss only acts toxic sometimes?
A: Pay attention to patterns. Occasional grumpiness is normal, frequent dementor mode is unacceptable.
Q: Should I enact revenge on a toxic boss?
A: No! Take the high road. Take care of yourself without stooping to their level.
Q: How do I avoid toxic managers when job searching?
A: Ask for examples of team building, visit the school, and observe how they treat interviews. Trust your gut instincts.
At the end of the day, we all deserve to work for leaders who uplift us, not dreadful dementors who tear us down! Don’t lose hope – every dragon can be slain. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to find workplace wellbeing.
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Yep. The credit taker. I’ve had a few of those. The stupidest one would take my knowledge/ideas and repeat them at the wrong time! Eg. She was a SENCO leading an INSET on Differentiation and instead just regurgitated everything I had told her about analysing CATS scores the day before. Totally irrelevant but suprisingly, nobody said “Um…. this is supposed to be on differentiating for SEN?”
Brilliant, shows how many people where paying attention to her though!
I had to observe her once teaching History where she talked about Concentration Camps in WW1 and how growing up in the UK in the 80s we were all CONSTANTLY checking for bombs under our cars left by the IRA. She was from NZ. Another History teacher claimed that America was never involved in WW2 and nobody questioned/argued with her. Head of Department always introduced her to everyone as a “historian”. She’s a SENCO now too which is worrying.