Are leaders toxic? Or are they set up to fail?
Are Leaders Toxic? Or Are They Set Up to Fail?
Leadership failure and toxic workplace culture are often attributed to individual leaders. Yet in many organisations, the roots of leadership problems lie deeper. Unclear roles, misaligned expectations and unsupported leadership transitions frequently shape the environment leaders step into.
Research consistently shows that employees rarely leave because of compensation.
They leave because of leadership and workplace culture.
This observation is often interpreted in a very simple way: Bad leaders create toxic workplaces.
And sometimes that is true. Some leaders bring destructive behaviours with them. Ego, insecurity or narcissistic tendencies can damage organisations quickly and create environments where trust, collaboration and accountability deteriorate.
However, in many situations, the picture is more complex.
Leadership behaviour does not emerge in isolation. It is shaped by the context in which leaders operate.
And that context is often far less clear than organisations assume.
When the Role Itself Is Unclear
Many leaders step into roles where the foundations for success are not fully defined.
- Their responsibilities may be vague.
- Stakeholder expectations may be misaligned.
- Political dynamics may be underestimated.
- Success metrics may be loosely defined.
- Poor transition into the role
- unclear guardrails or structured support.
From the outside, these issues are rarely visible.
What becomes visible instead is:
- Hesitation, friction or conflict.
- Momentum slows.
- Decisions become cautious.
- Relationships take longer to form.
Over time, what began as uncertainty can easily be interpreted as poor leadership.
When “Toxic Leadership” Is a Symptom
From experience, what is often perceived as toxic leadership can emerge from a combination of unclear expectations, weak guardrails and limited support during the leadership transition. When leaders operate without clarity about their mandate or how success will be judged, they may begin
- protecting territory
- removing decision-making to avoid blame OR centralising decisions to regain control
- creating friction or distraction as they attempt to assert their role
- withdrawing from collaboration
- And a lot of other problematic behaviours
These behaviours can quickly be interpreted as resistance or toxicity.
Yet the underlying issue is frequently structural rather than purely behavioural.
This does not mean leadership behaviour is irrelevant. Some leaders genuinely create unhealthy environments.
But in many cases, the conditions around the leader play a significant role in shaping the outcome. In some cases, we see the same role being in a constant rotation of leaders, each one unable to break the cycle.
Culture Is Not Only a Leadership Trait
Organisations often talk about culture as something leaders must fix.
But culture is also influenced by how leaders are appointed, positioned and supported when they enter a role.
When expectations are aligned early, when stakeholders share a common understanding of the responsibilities and when leaders receive structured support during their transition, the likelihood of conflict and cultural friction decreases significantly.
The opposite is also true.
When the role itself lacks clarity, tension and misunderstanding often follow.
Looking Earlier in the Leadership Cycle
If organisations want to improve culture, the conversation may need to start earlier.
Not only with leadership behaviour.
But with how leadership roles are defined, how expectations are aligned across stakeholders and how leaders are supported during the critical early months of their appointment.
Because the question may not only be whether we have the right leaders.
It may also be whether we have created the conditions for leadership to succeed.
A Final Thought
In our work supporting executive appointments and leadership transitions, we often see that the success of a leadership hire depends on more than capability alone. It depends on the clarity of the role and what success looks like, alignment across stakeholders and structured support during the early months of the role.
When these conditions are in place, leaders are far more likely to build momentum, strengthen trust and positively influence culture. When they are not, even capable leaders can struggle to gain traction.
Leadership success rarely depends on talent alone.
It works in tandem with the conditions in which that talent is asked to operate.
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If you are currently navigating a leadership appointment or supporting a newly appointed executive, you may be encountering some of the dynamics described above.
These situations are rarely straightforward and often benefit from structured reflection and alignment across stakeholders.
If you would like to exchange perspectives on leadership appointments or leadership transitions, feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn or reach out for a conversation.
You can also explore more insights on our blog or connect with us on LinkedIn to follow future articles.
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