How Does Leadership Contribute to Toxic Workplace Culture?
Stressed employees working in an unhealthy workplace culture.
Most workplaces operate with/under systems governed by individuals in leadership roles such as team leaders, managers, and CEOs - these people are usually responsible for important decisions, organizational development, and creating an efficient work culture.
But without the right tools, training, and people, workplace leaders are often the source of toxic work cultures.
64% of employees have experienced a toxic workplace, and 44% of the workers believed their workplaces’ ENTIRE leadership team was responsible, according to a study by career platform Muse.
Work environments are not neutral spaces and how workplace leaders choose to navigate important topics and decisions can make or break the employee experience. Although everyone in an organization has a hand in shaping workplace culture, leaders without a doubt hold the majority of that influence.
So what leadership practices and behaviors facilitate toxic workplace cultures instead of inclusive ones?
There are endless amounts of leadership styles, but one stands out as the most impactful promoter of toxic workplace culture: Authoritarian Leadership.
What is Authoritarian Leadership?
Authoritarian leadership, also known as “Autocratic Leadership”, is a management style that is based on the presumption that the person in charge possesses greater knowledge than their team members.
Under this approach, the leader takes sole responsibility for establishing policies, procedures, and group objectives, typically with little or no input from their team members or followers. The intention behind most authoritarian leadership is to maintain control, often expecting unquestioning obedience and compliance.
However, the impact of authoritarian leadership is that it creates workplace leaders who mistakenly believe that they cannot learn from others and should have the final decision-making power.
6 Authoritarian Leadership Examples that Create a Toxic Workplace Culture
Command & control leadership
Decisions are made with little to no input from team members
Leadership has the final say despite dissenting voices or contradictory data
Aggressive or passive-aggressive communication (yelling, sarcasm, stonewalling, belittling)
Harsh punishment for mistake
Employees regularly experience fear and intimidation
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"The Impact of Inclusive Leadership: Driving Workplace Change."
What The Research Tells Us About An Authoritarian Leadership Style
Extensive research has been conducted on the influence of different leadership styles on employee experience, performance, retention, and wellness, revealing worrisome outcomes associated with authoritarian leaders.
Authoritarian leadership styles have been linked to:
Increased employee silence
Increased abuses of power from leaders
Decreased employee commitment and task performance
Devolution of team members’ interactions with each other
Decreased psychological safety (the interpersonal trust between coworkers that it is safe to take a risk, such as speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or making a mistake)
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How Authoritarian Leadership Affects Employee Experience and DEI Efforts
The biggest impact of authoritarian leadership is the silencing of specific voices, usually junior-level employees, employees with limited access to resources, and marginalized employees who may already experience alienation in the workplace.
In one study exploring employee experience with speaking up, employees don’t feel safe enough to speak their minds, or if they did speak up, it wouldn't make any difference.
For example, Gallup finds that most employees refrain from openly discussing unethical situations they have personally witnessed in the workplace. While nine out of 10 employees express their willingness to report such behavior if they possess firsthand knowledge, only four in 10 actually take action. The primary reason for this hesitance lies in their lack of confidence that their employer would take appropriate measures.
Interestingly, when employees have faith in their employer's commitment to doing what is right, their likelihood of reporting increases by 24 percentage points. Essentially, the decision to withhold information from employers can be seen as a subtle means of conveying two messages: (a) the current work environment is perceived as unjust and unsustainable, and (b) the employee-employer relationship is unlikely to undergo realistic change.
Authoritarianism and its Impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Authoritarian leadership can directly interfere with DEI efforts. For instance, while an organization may have a diverse workforce, the absence of a safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas can lead to their silence, thereby preventing the organization from unlocking potential diverse perspectives.
In order to achieve team success, it is imperative to actively listen to every voice at the table. Companies should be wary of fostering a workplace culture where decisions are made in isolation, where the same voices dominate discussions, or where the team relies solely on one person's opinion, as such practices can be detrimental and contribute to a toxic workplace culture environment. Organizations can benefit from embracing the broadest range of perspectives possible. Such inclusivity allows them to identify and address challenges at an earlier stage, innovate faster, and come up with creative solutions.
Approach with Empathy
This type of leadership can be very frustrating for employees. Before succumbing to the urge of hurling your mug across the room, it is crucial to acknowledge that the style of leadership behavior is learned and not inherited. Authoritarianism can even stem from parenting styles, where many aspects of such leadership tendencies are likely acquired during one's upbringing or adopted from past experiences with superiors in the early stages of their career. Therefore, if you find yourself leading with elements of authoritarianism or encountering a boss who does, it is essential to understand that this does not automatically make them bad individuals.
Unlearning Toxic Behaviors
Toxic behavior is learned, which means it can be unlearned. The goal is not perfection, even in leadership. We’re all humans on a journey of learning. We make mistakes and we are fallible. If you are a leader, this is good news. This should take the pressure off you because it’s not your job to have all the answers, it’s your job to facilitate group learning. It’s your job to support your team members in experimenting and contributing. It’s your job to tap into everyone’s genius.
Up next is how you can cultivate an inclusive, psychologically safe environment that ensures everyone has a voice. Even if you are not in a leadership position right now, there’s a good chance you will be at some point in your career, so take note!
5 Tips Leaders Can Use to Improve Workplace Culture
1) Create an environment where all voices are heard equally.
}The goal of any team is to hear from everyone as equally as possible. Techniques such as silent brainstorming and starting each meeting with employee thoughts or ideas is a great ways to encourage ongoing participation and create a sense of belonging. Part of hearing from everyone is knowing that just because someone is silent, does not mean they don’t have anything to share. It is not a given that everyone feels comfortable sharing in a group setting. Leaders must clearly and intentionally invite people to share.
2) A leader in every chair approach.
This one is all about shifting our mindset. Knowing that everyone has something valuable to contribute, no exceptions. With information changing by the minute, every group benefits from hearing all voices, especially marginalized ones.
3) Do not disregard an idea just because you don’t understand it.
If a coworker has an idea that doesn’t match your understanding, ask for clarity first and allow them to experiment. You might be wrong so it is crucial that you do not shut down new or different ideas. If an idea does fail, that’s worth celebrating because ruling out an approach brings you one step closer to innovative solutions.
4) Update your knowledge!
Information is rapidly changing, so being an effective leader means updating your information. Enroll in training, workshops, continued education courses, certificate programs, leadership academies, mentorship programs, etc. regularly! Most companies have a Learning & Development budget, so ask your People’s Team representative for more info. If your company does not have an official policy on training compensation, most companies are glad to reimburse you for training that is relevant to your job.
5) Get support.
If you find yourself quick to anger please find support. If you find yourself repeatedly projecting resentment or despise onto your team, that usually means there are unexpressed feelings or unmet needs. Are you feeling unsupported? Are you experiencing an enormous amount of pressure or stress? If our fuse is already short, minor inconveniences can set us off. There needs to be a level of presence and groundedness to tolerate when things don’t go according to plan. No one is perfect and there will be times where we react in a way that is inappropriate. If this happens to you, acknowledge your behavior and apologize as soon as possible.
Take Action - Transform Your Work Culture
It's time to break free from the shackles of authoritarian leadership and toxic workplace culture. Are you prepared to take a stand and create a positive impact on your work culture? Your organization deserves success, and we have the tools to help you achieve it. Explore our coaching programs and lunch & learn sessions to gain invaluable insights on how to transform your work culture.
Don't hesitate—connect with our team today and pave the way for a healthier and more productive work environment. Together, we can make a difference.
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