You can trust toxic leaders. They will always choose themselves. But who is allowing them to stay?
When Donald Trump got elected, I know I felt worried. Who would elect someone like that in their right mind? The problem is not that he got elected. I found it far more threatening there were enough people to support him. Trump was one man with a lot of power without the skills and moral compass to impact in a positive way.
I have experienced many toxic managers in my career, but I always thought, “what impact do they have on my team or me?”. They didn’t most of the time, so I didn’t have to interfere with them.
In any organization, there will always be people you click with and people you don’t. It doesn’t mean some people want to make your life miserable; they are psychopaths or narcissists. It means particular personalities match better with yours.
Imagine you have a boss you’d rather avoid than ask anything. Every time they need you, or you need them, you postpone it, you search for a workaround. As far as efficiency goes, these situations have a high cost for any company. Tasks don’t get done; deadlines pass, and in the end, clients feel that the operation could run in a far more smooth way. Someone will have to explain what’s happening. Usually, it is the person responsible for the execution.
