A leader focused solely on personal wins creates a toxic environment that ultimately leads to their own apathy and burnout. They become disconnected from the very machine they built, creating a job they personally loathe despite their apparent success.
Instead of trying to change a toxic superior, which is often futile, focus on leading your own team differently. Build such powerful connection, engagement, and results that your boss has no choice but to recognize the success of your approach, creating a powerful argument for culture change from the bottom up.
Allowing a high-performing but toxic employee to thrive sends a clear message: results matter more than people. A leader's true impact and the company's real culture are defined not by stated principles, but by the worst behavior they are willing to accept.
Shifting a culture is conceptually simple, much like losing weight (fewer calories in, more out). The difficulty lies in the execution. It requires a conscious choice every day and every interaction to behave differently, recognizing that growth comes from sustained effort, not a single decision.
In a supportive culture, managing underperformance starts with co-authored goals upstream. When results falter, the conversation should be a diagnostic inquiry focused on removing roadblocks. This shifts the focus from the person's failure to the problem that's hindering their success, making tough conversations productive.
Most corporate values statements (e.g., "integrity") are unactionable and don't change internal culture. Effective leaders codify specific, observable behaviors—the "how" of working together. This makes unspoken expectations explicit and creates a clear standard for accountability that a vague value never could.
Dysfunctional leadership creates a self-sustaining cycle where employees vying for promotion mimic the toxic behaviors of their boss. They do this to endear themselves to the decision-maker, believing that demonstrating a better leadership style would disqualify them from the role.