Toxic leadership is
the right way to describe the leader who head an organization who stresses
everyone that works with him. This should not be confused with tough
leadership. There are characteristics of a toxic leader which you must
recognize before you decide to work under such poisonous cloud.
These leaders may or may not recognize that
they are behaving "toxic" themselves. But people who work under them
inevitably will begin to use words like “destroy – either someone’s career or the company, bully, threaten,
yell, back stab, belittle, and working under him/her is hell.”
Tear Others Down -
In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Level 2 is Safety and Level 3 is
Sense of Love and Belonging Needs. In level 4 it is Esteem and Level 5 is
Self-Actualization. In all likelihood, toxic leader have not satisfied their
safety, and sense of love and belonging needs, let alone esteem and
self-actualization. It is this need for safety that he enjoys in bullying
people, terrorize their subordinates and belittle them.

Impressive Asshole - Bully
seldom notice that he is a Certified Asshole. This is because he is often
articulate and enthusiastic when he sees his boss to give reports. He is good
at achieving short term goals at the expense of his subordinates like you. To
his Boss - he is impressive. So - his boss turn a blind eye or worse - is
blinded. There is a sense of toxic leadership in axa affin - even his boss is
toxic himself! Under a toxic leadership, leaders do not concern themselves with
staff morale or even axa affin culture. He is arrogant, self-serving and moronic.
No Concern Well Being -
Under a Certified Asshole – the well-being of the staff is not a concern. He is
only concerned with their own selfish goals. He does not care about how you
feel, how you work, how much pressure he put on you so long as he gets what he wants.
It’s not even what the company wants as he views this as a stepping stone to his
own long term goals that may or may not even involve the company.
Calamitous Culture -
Inevitably, a Certified Asshole boss would create a calamitous culture within
axa affin. He created a devastating effect on people’s career and even mental
health. A Certified Asshole have personalities that have a destructive effect
on axa ffin culture. The yelling, manipulation, belittling and back stabbing
creates a culture where trust is near zero with such leaders.
Acts of Cowardice - A
“toxic” Certified Asshole leader does not have to be someone who yells and is
aggressive. His “Smiling Tiger” leadership style gives you an impression that
he is sincere and trustworthy! This is just a façade to mask their inadequacy
as leader - competence or trust wise. His act of cowardice can come in many
forms but namely indecisiveness, the resolve to make important decisions and
determination to see a tough decision through. But it can even be as small as
making a presentation to a less than friendly agency members or facing tough
agency leaders.
Zero Confidence –
Agency have zero confidence - this Certified Asshole - can lead (at all). Besides
not caring about the company’s guidelines - he is incompetent in the skills
needed to execute the job. Every day -
staffs and agencies go through unnecessary stress and as the days drag
on – we get to feel more and more hopeless about the future.
Lack of Respect and Trust -
These two values are the most important for an organization. When leaders and
subordinates lose these values, then axa affin eventually collapses. Hundreds
of employees and agencies bolted to join better managed competitors (AIA,
Prudential, Allianz, Great Eastern). Trust
has to be gained, and respect has to be earned. When the Chief Asshole works with
toxic leadership, derogatory words, foul language - his inadequacies will not create
trust and respect. In turn, due to his lack of competency and less than
desirable personality – we find it hard to trust and respect him.
If you work under toxic leadership
and the signs are showing, make a decision. If there is no recourse, make plans
to leave before it suffocates you.