Continuing on the theme of Burnout…

Destructive leadership causes toxic cultures which in turn decimate a person’s wellbeing.

It only takes a single harmful leader to destroy a culture from the inside out.

Poor leaders leave people experiencing low morale, poor decision-making, lack of direction or clear goals, lack of trust or communication, and decreased productivity or performance. Expect to see your retention rates drop, not-so quiet quitters rise, and above average turnover. In the worst cases, bad leadership can even result in the failure or collapse of the organization.

Bad leaders have a variety of negative traits, but some common ones include:

* Lack of integrity and ethical behavior: Bad leaders may engage in dishonest or deceitful behavior, such as lying or breaking promises.

* Inability to make decisions or lack of decisiveness: Bad leaders may struggle to make important decisions or may make poor decisions that negatively impact the organization.

* Lack of empathy or understanding of others: Bad leaders may be insensitive to the needs and concerns of employees or members, leading to low morale and a lack of trust.

* Inability to communicate effectively: Bad leaders may struggle to communicate their vision or goals clearly, leading to confusion and a lack of direction.

* Inability to inspire or motivate: Bad leaders may be unable to inspire or motivate employees or members to work towards a common goal.

* Inability to admit mistakes or take responsibility: Bad leaders may blame others for their own mistakes and avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

* Lack of accountability and responsibility: Bad leaders may avoid taking accountability for the performance of their team or organization.

* Lack of transparency and open communication: Bad leaders may not share important information or be open to feedback, creating a culture of secrecy and mistrust.

The fastest ways to destroy company culture are:

1. Don’t trust employees to be competent enough to use their skills or do their jobs.
2. Have repetitive meetings to “check up” on people.
3. Pay different people on the same team extremely ranged salaries.
4. Decline employees request to work from home.
5. Force them to work rigid hours.
6. Expect them to work odd and extra hours.
7. Let dictator-style bosses thrive.
8. Tell people what to do and micromanage their work.
9. Monitor their laptops or request daily or even hourly updates.
10. Communicate poorly both through poor choice of methods and by not being clear by giving enough context.
11. Refusing to be transparent with team members. Teams should be at the table when projects, programs, opportunities, AND successes are being discussed.
12. Use triangulation and back room discussions about those who are not present for the conversation.
13. Promote leaders who take credit for and fail to highlight team wins.
14. Promote leaders who are not accountable for team failures as their own failure.

This is why it’s important to ask probing questions to ensure your culture is healthy and supportive. Try these for starters:

* Have your leaders ever used coercive tactics on their teams?

* How are people’s productivity levels after returning to work from the holiday season?

* Does everyone feel comfortable volunteering ideas and opinions around their leaders?

* What are the ways leaders make their teams feel heard, valued, and respected?

* What are some of the ways they don’t?

* What are your employees saying about their leaders in 1:1 meetings with others?

* How are your leaders trained to interact with their teams?

A healthy and productive workplace begins from the top down. Culture is created, crafted, and CRITICAL to our wellness. If you’re experiencing burnout or overwhelming stress, consider the culture you’re exposed to daily.

Wishing you all a place where you are welcome, wanted, and made well.