10 Signs You have a Toxic Boss

Today morning I was reading a tweet from well know Indian industrialist Harsh Goenka “Hidden reason why employees leave” .  The first point was “Lost of trust and confidence in bosses” . And he is bang on correct. This shows that successful owners and stakeholder do understand this factor very well.

“Many stakeholders and investors still like toxic bosses because they still believe in “Command and Control” style of leadership”

In my view and experience mostly people leave because the bosses are Toxic.

Check out below points and evaluate if your boss is toxic or not?

1. They create unrealistic target

The first sign of toxic boss is they create or give you target or task which are kind of near impossible.   They simply refuse to extend any base support other than what is available and now its time for you to prove yourself.  You can’t reason them because they may prove that you are a loser or a chicken  and there is no place for losers in the organization.

2. They are always right

This is a common quality is mostly found in toxic bosses.  They are Mr.Know and they have knowledge and the answer for everything. They have “been there .. done that” . They surround themselves with only people who keep on saying that “How great they are” and keep massaging their ego by validating their ideas. They blame other for any kind of mistakes and take credit of all good. Anyone who does not agree with them  goes to thier gas chamber.

3.They are insecure 

They are simply very insecure and spent most of time in sucking up or planning how to manage higher ups. They  get threatened by even smallest move by people under them or by the pears. They get some kind of pleasure  when others are humiliated or pears get punished. Though they also get scared as they feel they may also get treated in similar manner in future. They hate and terrified by the success of their pears.

4. They have their coterie

They have a very specific kind of people around them which form their coterie or favorite.  By the way they play favorites with those  people / employees who agree with them.  Resources are extended only the the favorites. Surprising their favorites are their mini me’s and in the absence of the toxic boss they start imitating his behavior.

7. You are never good enough

You may find that whatever you do is not good enough. There is always some fault in your work.  In most cased they could have very easily or even someone else has done that before your or better than you.

5. They don’t give credit

Your performance is not acknowledge. How competent you are it does not matter to them. Although in their heart they know that you are good but they refuse to accept, appreciate or give you your deserved promotions or credit. They are simply non interested in your growth.

6. They steel your work credit

This is one of the most annoying quality. Even after so much of adversity if you are some how able to perform than your good work credit is ruthlessly taken from you.  Your work is either presented by them or by one of their person who at the end of presentation give all the credit to the boss. Interestingly you are not even invited in any such meetings.

7. They are arrogant 

Shouting, yelling, anger and language are the best ways to find toxic bosses. Their attitude is loaded with ego and arrogance of their position. They are full of themselves and not interested in your growth at all. They use both verbal and non verbal body language which is annoying and insulting. They keep finding opportunity to insult you in front of your team or others.

“Forgiveness some how is not their style on the other had Revenge gets to their head when you upset them”

8. They create conflicts 

They continuously create situation where either you have to conflict with others or others are prompted to conflict with you, this helps them to keep you down in the system.   This is mainly due to their own inability to do it directly  hence they create difficult and insulting situation through others.  They are not interested in your positive views or  opinion and  In any situation they feel you are winning than they intervene and shot you down.

9. Honesty

Some of the ultra toxic bosses varieties have serious integrity issues. They don’t have any set principles as they just believe in managing the situations. If you are honest than you are in serious problem because they wont ever open up in front of you and you wont realize their reason for being upset with you most of time. They create situations or share untrue stories for you to react and than share your views or rumors about you to others.

10. They have unpredictable emotions and  Behavior 

They have different behavior with different people depending  their position, status or their need for that specific time. They are highly  unpredictable, sometime they can be very good and sometime very difficult. On some occasions they behave so good that you don’t believe and when you get comfortable with them they hit you hard.

“Constructive feedback is no word in their dictionary, you are afraid of telling them any mistake because you would upset them”

Can you find anyone with such characteristics around you ?

If any person or boss has least 4 of above qualities than you are suffering under a Toxic Boss who will eventually disturb your Mental, Emotional and Physical balance.

Not only he is toxic for you or others , he will eventually spoil the enterprise and business for his own benefit.

My article does not end here, I have see this in my career

One incompetent or narcissistic bad apple can take down a business if allowed to persist.