Do you have a toxic boss?

Before I go into today’s article, I want to express a heartfelt thanks to the consistent readers of ‘Prime the Pump’. I appreciate the feedback from those who stop me in the street or message to say how much they enjoy reading the article.

Recently someone asked me how to deal with a toxic boss. It was unfortunate that the words toxic and boss were used in the same sentence, but the reality is, while there are some incredible bosses, there are also some toxic ones.

Before I attempted to answer the question, I was curious as to why the employee considered the boss toxic. I asked, what made you conclude that your boss was toxic.

The employees stated the following:

1. He doesn’t listen. He only enjoys hearing himself. He projects his negativity on us. Employees’ feedback and concerns fall on deaf ears. He is dismissive. When we try to explain to him that his opinion is not the reality, he tells us straight up that it is his opinion that matters.

2. He micromanages. People are afraid to make even the most basic decisions. Everything goes through him. When someone tries to be proactive, he nit-picks once he was not involved. He overrides decisions managers make and belittle them in the presence of subordinates.

3. He has no boundaries. He fraternizes on the job and carries on extramarital affairs with employees.

His mistresses behave like the first ladies of the company, and this affects staff morale. He operates on the basis of ‘Do as I say but not as I do.’

4. He does not foster growth in the organization. He keeps putting square pegs in round holes. He is more concerned with people being obligated to him for putting them in positions they were not qualified for, than he is interested in the organization’s performance.

5. He is disingenuous. He pretends that the organization is a cohesive team and that he is such a good captain when others visit. He thinks because he refers to the organization as a ‘team’ it automatically makes it a team.

6. He makes us feel unsafe. He is impulsive and irrational, and one never know when there is going to be an outburst from him. His idea of dealing with an allegation is to call the accuser into an office and issue him/her with a disciplinary letter or humiliating the employee in a department meeting. He does not know the meaning of natural justice.

7. His expectations are unreasonable. Employees who challenge the status quo are threatened and referred to as a liability to the organization. He constantly reminds them of the unemployment rate and of his influence to block future employment.

8. He practices divide and conquer. He promotes dissonance among team members with the he say she say culture.

Sounds to me like the employee had valid reasons for considering the boss toxic. Unfortunately, the behaviours described above are common daily occurrences in organizations. However, before I share tips to mitigate working with a toxic boss, here are some statistics and thoughts from a couple of experts on the subject:

Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report found that only 33% of employees in the United States and Canada feel engaged in their work, a feeling that good bosses foster. Many employees reported experiencing negative emotions during the workday, including worry (41%), stress (50%), sadness (22%), and anger (18%) – a recipe for burnout.

Tiziana Casciaro, Professor of Organizational Behaviour and HR Management at the University of Toronto said, “There is no growth when you have a boss who makes it almost impossible to communicate upward and to convey mistakes.” Casciaro further stated that “A toxic boss demotivates. They allow very little leeway in how a subordinate conducts the work that is assigned to them, listen very little and do not make the most of the capabilities of a subordinate.”

Peter Ronanyne, senior faculty member at the Center for Creative Leadership and co-author of The Toxic Boss Survival Guide said, “Micromanaging becomes toxic when the boss needs to have a say in everything going on – even when you’ve proven your ability and accountability – and when they’re quick to take credit for work done by others.”

According to the US Surgeon General’s 2022 Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being report, “Creating the conditions for physical and psychological safety is a critical foundation for ensuring workplace mental health and well-being.” Toxic bosses diminish your sense of belonging and connection to the organization, Ronayne says. And simply put: Not feeling safe to speak up and constantly worrying about job security is incredibly mentally taxing.

To be continued next week.

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