Toxic leader

A toxic leader is a person who has responsibility over a group of people or an organization, and who abuses the leader–follower relationship by leaving the group or organization in a worse-off condition than when s/he first found them. The phrase was coined by Marcia Whicker in 1996 and is linked with a number of dysfunctional leadership styles. Other names include the little Hitler, manager from hell, the toxic boss and boss from hell. Their leadership style is both self-destructive and ultimately corporately harmful as they subvert and destroy organizational structures.

Ashforth discussed potentially destructive sides of leadership and identified what he referred to as petty tyrants, i.e.leaders who exercise a tyrannical style of management, resulting in a climate of fear in the workplace.

The challenge to institutions like corporations, banks, and governments is how to accurately spot a budding toxic Hitler Tyrant or Madoff type of con man before it is too late.

Basic traits