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Toxic Leadership

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Toxic Leadership
TOXIC LEADERSHIP

Most often throughout the military negative leadership occurs within organization regardless of ranks and unit structure. The most common negative leadership that is displayed amongst leaders is toxic leadership. Army leaders accept the responsibility to develop and lead others to achieve results.
A recent survey done by the United States Army confirms what most knowledgeable and professional
NCOs already know – toxic leadership destroys units’ morale and leads to highly qualified Soldiers leaving the Army. A survey of more than 22,630 Soldiers from the rank of E-5 through O-6 and Army civilians showed that roughly one in five sees his or her superior as “toxic and unethical,” while only 27 percent believe that their organization allows the frank and free flow of ideas. The questions at hand is
“What does Toxic Leadership really mean?” Webster Dictionary defines “toxic” as containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation, exhibiting symptoms of infection or toxicities or extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful. “Leadership”, by definition is when an organizational role involves (1) establishing a clear vision, (2) sharing
(communicating) that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, (3) providing the information, knowledge, and methods to realize that idea, and (4) coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members or stakeholders. With that being said, the phase Toxic Leadership as a concept was coined by Marcia Lynn Whicker, in her book: “Toxic Leaders: When Organizations go bad” which is all about the abuse of power and its destructiveness.

The United States Army defines “toxic leadership” as a combination of self centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance. This leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the organization, which leads to

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