Thread
17 toxic traits for leaders and how to combat them:
Context:
I've built 2 high-performance teams at Vettery and Archer.
And I'm building my best team ever at Figure.
Working with hundreds of managers in my career has taught me what NOT to do when building a team.
These lessons will give you ammo to combat toxic leadership.
I've built 2 high-performance teams at Vettery and Archer.
And I'm building my best team ever at Figure.
Working with hundreds of managers in my career has taught me what NOT to do when building a team.
These lessons will give you ammo to combat toxic leadership.
Trait: Immune to Feedback
Toxic leaders can dish it out, but they can't take it back.
Instead, they deflect feedback to the giver and try to downgrade their contributions.
Combat this by seeing feedback as a kindness. Your team wants you to succeed, too.
Toxic leaders can dish it out, but they can't take it back.
Instead, they deflect feedback to the giver and try to downgrade their contributions.
Combat this by seeing feedback as a kindness. Your team wants you to succeed, too.
Trait: Never Available
Toxic leaders are only available when it's convenient for them.
When the team needs help, it's their problem.
When someone has a question, they should figure it out themselves.
Combat this by making collaboration a KPI. "Being there" is a crucial task.
Toxic leaders are only available when it's convenient for them.
When the team needs help, it's their problem.
When someone has a question, they should figure it out themselves.
Combat this by making collaboration a KPI. "Being there" is a crucial task.
Trait: Gossip
Toxic leaders talk about team members behind their backs.
They are willing to say all kinds of things, as long as it isn't face-to-face.
They'll even talk bad about them with OTHER team members.
Combat this by only giving feedback or criticism face to face.
Toxic leaders talk about team members behind their backs.
They are willing to say all kinds of things, as long as it isn't face-to-face.
They'll even talk bad about them with OTHER team members.
Combat this by only giving feedback or criticism face to face.
Trait: Hyperbole
Toxic leaders exaggerate their successes and minimize others'.
They want to be seen as great, and they want more credit than their counterparts.
Combat this by practicing radical candor. Speak the full truth, and give others their due.
Toxic leaders exaggerate their successes and minimize others'.
They want to be seen as great, and they want more credit than their counterparts.
Combat this by practicing radical candor. Speak the full truth, and give others their due.
Trait: Work Is for the Others
Toxic leaders don't do the work themselves. Those tasks are "beneath" them.
Instead, they over-delegate everything to subordinates.
Combat this by allocating a percentage of your workweek to doing the work yourself.
Toxic leaders don't do the work themselves. Those tasks are "beneath" them.
Instead, they over-delegate everything to subordinates.
Combat this by allocating a percentage of your workweek to doing the work yourself.
Trait: Hierarchy-Focused
Toxic leaders care more about hierarchy than anything else.
The title matters more than the skillset. And it certainly matters more than collaboration.
They want all the power.
Combat this by giving team members unique functions to lead on the team.
Toxic leaders care more about hierarchy than anything else.
The title matters more than the skillset. And it certainly matters more than collaboration.
They want all the power.
Combat this by giving team members unique functions to lead on the team.
Trait: Inconsistent Expectations
Toxic leaders set a KPI one week, and change it the next.
They give goals to a team member, and then re-arrange them as they see fit.
And the team works in obscurity.
Combat this by committing 100% to all goals and keep expectations clear.
Toxic leaders set a KPI one week, and change it the next.
They give goals to a team member, and then re-arrange them as they see fit.
And the team works in obscurity.
Combat this by committing 100% to all goals and keep expectations clear.
Trait: Never Enough
Toxic leaders can't seem to find a single nice thing to say about teammates.
But they can point out 50 mistakes they're making.
Combat this by balancing your feedback between honest criticism and positive shoutouts.
Toxic leaders can't seem to find a single nice thing to say about teammates.
But they can point out 50 mistakes they're making.
Combat this by balancing your feedback between honest criticism and positive shoutouts.
Trait: Micromanagement
Toxic leaders don't trust their teams to do good work, so they interject often.
They give their "two cents" constantly throughout the day, and take away all creativity.
Combat this by focusing more on corrective feedback than proactive micromanaging.
Toxic leaders don't trust their teams to do good work, so they interject often.
They give their "two cents" constantly throughout the day, and take away all creativity.
Combat this by focusing more on corrective feedback than proactive micromanaging.
Trait: EQ-Deficiency
Toxic leaders can be smart, but they don't empathize with people.
They see things only through their lens, and discount other points of view and experiences.
Combat this by focusing on people-building in 1:1s and relating to teammates on a deeper level.
Toxic leaders can be smart, but they don't empathize with people.
They see things only through their lens, and discount other points of view and experiences.
Combat this by focusing on people-building in 1:1s and relating to teammates on a deeper level.
Trait: Idea Blockers
Toxic leaders don't like new ideas that don't come from themselves.
They view them as a threat to their intelligence, and they're unwilling to experiment.
Combat this by hosting team brainstorming sessions often. Implement a new idea weekly if possible.
Toxic leaders don't like new ideas that don't come from themselves.
They view them as a threat to their intelligence, and they're unwilling to experiment.
Combat this by hosting team brainstorming sessions often. Implement a new idea weekly if possible.
Trait: Lack of Accountability
Toxic leaders expect the world from subordinates, but they crumble under the pressure from their own bosses.
They place blame on others to self-aggrandize.
Combat this by doing what you said you would, and report on it.
Toxic leaders expect the world from subordinates, but they crumble under the pressure from their own bosses.
They place blame on others to self-aggrandize.
Combat this by doing what you said you would, and report on it.
Trait: Intimidation Leadership
Toxic leaders rule with fear and intimidation.
They impose their ideas on others without discussion.
They speak to others with "or else" language.
Combat this by flipping the script and leading with empathy first.
Toxic leaders rule with fear and intimidation.
They impose their ideas on others without discussion.
They speak to others with "or else" language.
Combat this by flipping the script and leading with empathy first.
Trait: Overpromising
Toxic leaders overpromise on behalf of others.
Instead of consulting with Employee A about a project's goals, they tell their boss that Employee A is on the hook for X result.
Combat this by chatting 1:1 about all goals and deadlines.
Toxic leaders overpromise on behalf of others.
Instead of consulting with Employee A about a project's goals, they tell their boss that Employee A is on the hook for X result.
Combat this by chatting 1:1 about all goals and deadlines.
Trait: Siloed Approach
Toxic leaders work in a silo and avoid collaboration with others.
They're scared about their own work not being good enough, so they leave the team leaderless.
Combat this by setting up collab meetings often, especially when you have something to learn.
Toxic leaders work in a silo and avoid collaboration with others.
They're scared about their own work not being good enough, so they leave the team leaderless.
Combat this by setting up collab meetings often, especially when you have something to learn.
Trait: "We've Always Done It that Way"
Toxic leaders live by this credo.
They don't adapt to new ideas, they just accept mediocrity.
Combat this by setting up 1 new experiment weekly to test the limits of what you thought was reality.
Toxic leaders live by this credo.
They don't adapt to new ideas, they just accept mediocrity.
Combat this by setting up 1 new experiment weekly to test the limits of what you thought was reality.
Trait: Code Breakers
Whether the team works 6 hours per day, or 18...
Toxic leaders break the communication codes set amongst the team.
They set impossible deadlines.
They send emails at times they shouldn't.
Combat this by having a team code, and stick to it.
Whether the team works 6 hours per day, or 18...
Toxic leaders break the communication codes set amongst the team.
They set impossible deadlines.
They send emails at times they shouldn't.
Combat this by having a team code, and stick to it.
Let's recap the toxic traits:
• Immune to Feedback
• Never Available
• Gossip
• Hyperbole
• Work Is for Others
• Hierarchy-Focused
• Inconsistent Expectations
• Never Enough
• Micromanagement
• EQ-Deficiency
• Idea Blockers
• Lack of Accountability
• Immune to Feedback
• Never Available
• Gossip
• Hyperbole
• Work Is for Others
• Hierarchy-Focused
• Inconsistent Expectations
• Never Enough
• Micromanagement
• EQ-Deficiency
• Idea Blockers
• Lack of Accountability
Recap Cont'd:
• Intimidation Leadership
• Overpromising
• Siloed Approach
• "We've Always Done It that Way"
• Code Breakers
• Intimidation Leadership
• Overpromising
• Siloed Approach
• "We've Always Done It that Way"
• Code Breakers
These lessons come from building 2 large teams (Archer and Vettery). I'm also currently building a humanoid robotics team at Figure.
Like/Retweet the first tweet below if you want to see more.
And make sure to follow me @adcock_brett
Like/Retweet the first tweet below if you want to see more.
And make sure to follow me @adcock_brett
