In my 25 years in the field of industrial/organizational and career psychology, I have witnessed and experienced many toxic bosses. This compelled me to embark on research, writing, and speaking to learn more about this phenomenon. I’ve worked for consulting firms as well as running my own since 2009. In parallel, I’ve had the great opportunity to oversee a national team of career psychologists, hearing about the trends that are happening with toxic leadership. Out of the thousands of individuals our team at Canada Career Counselling has helped, there is a growing trend of toxic leaders who are causing major issues for people and organizations.
Wanting to help as many people as possible navigate toxic bosses, I felt compelled to dive deeper into this issue. I wanted to give people the tools to better spot the early warning signs, and to identify how toxic leadership unfolds so they wouldn’t have to feel alone or stuck. Helping people find the courage to exit and to recover post-toxic boss is a mission I’m honored to be on.
How to Identify Toxic Leadership
Toxic bosses have been around as long as there have been bosses. They creep into every level of leadership, from first-time supervisors through to the CEO and senior executives and boards. They include those who are narcissistic, authoritarian, controlling, manipulative, abusive, and who gaslight, bully and harass either overtly or covertly (e.g., passive aggressively). Not only are these bosses difficult, but truly toxic as they take an enormous toll on employees’ mental and physical health, as well as erode performance, engagement, and commitment.
The Damage of Toxic Bosses
I have focused my research on discovering all kinds of damage these bosses have done. Some examples are they erode your confidence, derail your career, destroy teamwork and collaboration by pitting people against each other, and create a toxic culture of distrust and fear. They like to punish you if you are not a “yes person” because they want full control.
Punishment could mean pulling away rewards and perks, taking away professional development opportunities, or other things that are important to you. They may engage in constructive dismissal, an illegal practice of pushing you out of the organization and getting you to quit so they don’t have to pay severance (talk to an employment lawyer if you feel this may be happening as you may have a case).
Some of the mental health impacts of such bosses are the most problematic. These include increased stress and eventually burnout. Your sleep, eating, exercise, and relationships may all be impacted over time, making you less able to focus and perform, let alone find any joy.
When to Move On
My research shows that people often stay under a toxic boss longer than they should, thinking that HR will be able to help, or the boss might change if they just work harder to impress. However, if your boss has been abusive or manipulative in any way, this is a sign that there will be more toxicity to come. You need to take care of YOU. In many cases, staying doesn’t help, but rather creates bigger problems over time.
Taking it to HR may or may not help, depending on how empowered they are, and the organization’s follow through on psychological harassment/bullying policies. Have others gone before you and successfully addressed a toxic boss at your organization? In my experience, the toxic boss is often never let go, or only let go after: 1) massive turnover under them and 2) an extended length of time passing. Especially if they are a strong performer, bringing in revenue or key relationships to the company, and good at impressing their boss, their tentacles may be deeply planted.
Keep in mind that the longer you stay, the more your confidence erodes, and it can get harder to leave. Your motivation and energy will be depleted, and the last thing you will want to do is search for jobs in the evenings and weekends. Or you may fear your toxic boss finding out.
You need to weigh the pros and cons – your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health vs. the paycheque/financial rewards/job security. As hard as it is to believe when you’re stuck in a toxic situation, there are very likely other options out there that are better for you. Talking to a mentor or a career psychologist can provide an objective view and a source of support and accountability.
In sum, I look forward to sharing more insights and tips with you around this important topic. My hope is to make human lives better by having fewer toxic leaders and reporting to them for less time. Nobody deserves a toxic boss!
Dr. Laura Hambley is a thought leader on Career and Workplace Psychology, passionate about career development. She founded Canada Career Counselling in 2009, however has specialized in career development since 1999 through her Master’s research and counselling in different settings, including outplacement and career transition firms in Alberta.
Dr. Laura learned early on that effective career planning enhances wellbeing, confidence, and clarity in one’s work and life. Combining the expertise of Psychology with Career Counselling is what she sought to do as she founded and evolved Canada Career Counselling from Calgary to Toronto, Victoria, and Halifax, providing Career Counselling and Career Coaching to thousands of clients over many years.
Dr. Laura enjoys her work as a Career Counsellor and Career Coach to professionals who are in mid- or senior stages of their career, helping them navigate complex career decisions and pivots. Her extensive experience as an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, enables her to understand and address the challenges faced by individuals, leaders, teams, and organizational cultures. Having consulted to a wide range of organizations since the late 1990s, and becoming a future of work thought leader, has enabled her to help individuals and organizations navigate the latest trends impacting today’s organizations.
Dr. Laura fulfilled her dream of having her own podcast in 2020, called Where Work Meets Life™, where she interviews experts globally on topics around career fulfillment and thriving humans and organizations. She is a sought-after keynote speaker for organizations, associations, conferences, and events.
In addition to her Master’s in Counselling Psychology (1999), Laura holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (2005) from the University of Calgary. She is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists, as well as a member of the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She also contributes to teaching, supervision, and research as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Calgary.
For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations: