Concept of Destructive Leadership

Concept of Destructive Leadership

Destructive leadership refers to a systematic and repeated behaviour of leaders, supervisors that violate the organization by sabotaging and undermining the organization resources, tasks, goals and job satisfaction or well-being, the motivation and/ or effectiveness of his or her subordinate. Leaders in the workplace influence the success of the business. They provide employees with direction on their responsibilities, expectation and motivation towards job satisfaction. The managers must possess the qualities and attributes of the leaders and leaders should also possess management qualities and attributes. In general destructive is a combination of behaviours, motivation and attitudes that adversely affect the mission, the organization and employees performance.

Lack of concern to subordinate and organization climate by leaders result in short and long-term adverse impact. The destructive leaders operate with acute self-interest and an inflated sense of self-worth. Leaders continuously apply dysfunction behaviours to unfairly punish, coerce, intimidate and deceive others to serve their self-interests. The negative influence from leaders achieves short-term goals by working at the bottom commitment continuum, where subordinates to their leader’s position power to fulfil their interest. This may have a positive effect on short-term, but other leader’s competency to lead. Prolonged use of destructive leadership to influence subordinates undermines have the potential of destroying their unit morale. 

Factors that promote or contribute destructive leadership

Negative outcomes of the organization are not only the product of toxic leaders but also the contributing environment in which the leadership process occur. Different factors result in the presence of destructive or negative leadership within the organizations or business environment.  First destructive leaders may exist in the organization. Leaders become destructive when they feel their personal goals (career, finance, promotion etc.) are not achieved by the management using legitimate means.  For instance, lack of good reward system in the organization may result in employee’s frustration hence resulting in leaders engaging in fraudulent and unethical activities. Leader’s frustrations are experienced when their personal goals are not achieved. Incompetency, bad politic and retaliation results in toxic leadership style in the organization. Negative leadership also results from a lack of effective communication. Lack of effective communication systems in the organization results in toxic leadership.

Destructive leadership is also contributed by the prevailing environment in which leaders operate. For example, this toxic leadership is influenced by instability in the organization. In the time of instability, leaders can use power by advocating radical changes in orders to restore order. Leaders and managers operating in an unstable environment have more authority due to unilateral decision-making decision required and instability demands quick action. Though destructive may be effective in short-term in long-term it will not be effective.

Destructive leadership is also as a result perceived threats related to organization and structural instability. These perceived threats range from feeling of mistreatment by the seniors or subordinates. When people feel threatened, there is a possibility of accepting assertive leadership. Perceived threat increases support for charismatic leader’s specifically non-participative leaders from followers. Increase in preference for charismatic leaders declines the preference for participative leaders which in the long run may result in autocratic leadership.

Cultural values also influence leadership style. Cultural concerns for certain social conditions shape emergent leadership. Destructive leader occurs when leaders endorse the avoidance of high power distance, collectivism instead of individualism and uncertainty. Uncertainty avoidance involves the extent to which ambiguous situation threaten society feelings; in such a scenario, individuals look for strong leaders to hope to their followers. Autocratic leaders exploit followers need for safety by providing by rules, rituals that offer simple solutions to complex problems.

Outcomes of destructive leadership

Destructive leadership victims suffer mentally, physically and emotionally, which have effect followers personal life and how they function in the work environment.  Leadership styles in the organization to influence the followers, leaders and organization performance. Destructive leaders have several negative effects. First, the toxic leadership may result in subordinates having negative attitude towards leaders. This makes subordinates to resist the leaders attempt at influencing their behaviour in the work environment.   Destructive leadership lower the level of job satisfaction which lead to high employee turnover. As a result, this leads to a high cost associated with replacing employees. when employees leave the organization as a result of destructive leadership the organization will have higher and train new employees at cost. Destructive leadership is also associated with adverse feeling such as bitterness, irritation and anger. This result in increased psychological stress subordinates experience which result to decline in employee well-being and performance.

Destructive leaders affect an employee’s well-being outside the work environment. Such effects include stress-related concerns such as loss of concentration, general fatigue, bad dreams and insomnia. Employees feel devalued by their leaders and hence hate their job.

Destructive leader behaviour also affects the organization as a whole. This results in human resource loss. Presence of toxic leaders in a company hurts company ability to attract and hire competent workers. This affects the performance of the company negatively. High turnover in the organization as a result destructive leadership increase the cost of recruitment in the organization hence increasing the cost of doing business.

Destructive culture is characterized by nepotism, cronyism, political behaviour and lack of trust among colleagues. This results in leaders serving their self-interest instead of enhancing the sustainable goals of the organization. Toxic leaders often instil fear in the work environment. In long-term employees fear making misstate and become more risk-averse since they fear punishment. Hence creativity of employees and other junior leaders is minimized. Toxic leadership destroys employee commitment in the organization. It reduces workgroup effectiveness. In general destructive leadership will affect employees, leaders and the organization performance.

How can organizations prevent destructive leadership?

The best way to prevent destructive leadership wills early detection and intervention.  The management should be willing to identify appropriate ways of dealing with destructive leadership. People assigned with the task of selecting leaders require training on how to identify toxic leadership characteristics. Screening specific traits play a critical role. Leaders and followers should exercise due diligence help in detecting potential offenders who should not be considered during the selection process. Continuous training of leaders on follower treatment should be done.

Organizations should embrace effective communication between management and employees. Embracing feedback in the organization promote conducive leadership. Such feedbacks contribute to a culture of follower’s collaboration and empowerment by emphasizing leadership feedback, communication and accountability, and follower’s participation in the leadership process. Skill training should be embraced by both leaders and followers.

Embracing corrective measures play a key role in preventing destructive behaviour in leadership. action should, therefore, be taken for leaders who do not follow the set code of conduct. Further, the management should have appropriate support mechanisms to support leaders with toxic behaviours.  Also having a strong oversight mechanism improves the leadership approach in the organization.

Conclusion

Destructive leadership constitute of toxic behaviour of leaders. Bad leadership translate to poor performance in the organization. Organization can embrace different mechanism to prevent, manage and eradicate destructive behaviours of leaders in the organization. Good communication, embracing organization culture hiring of competent employees help to avoid poor leadership. Continuous training and having a strong oversight mechanism improves the leadership approach in the organization.