Featured Publication & Special Members Only Downloadable Chapter

ILA Members publish on the topic of from a variety of perspectives. We are pleased to feature a selection of these publications in this newsletter and our website. In the member connector, authors take you behind the scenes, sharing their perspectives on the work, how the work informs contemporary issues, and highlighting points of interest to ILA members. Th anks to ILA member Jean Lipman-Blumen for contributing to this issue. Visit the member area of the ILA Web site to fi nd additional information on Th e Allure of Toxic Leaders - Why We follow Destructive Bosses and Corrupt Politicians and How We Can Survive Th em and download Chapter 1 “ Toxic Leaders: Th ey’re Plentiful” -- available only to ILA members. If you have a recent publication and are interested in being features in this column, please contact Debra DeRuyver, ILA membership services, at [email protected] or310.405.5218.

Featured Publication The Allure of Toxic Leaders - Why We follow Destructive Bosses and Corrupt Politicians and How We Can Survive Th em by Jean Lipman-Blumen (OXFORD University Press, 2004)

ILA Staff, Debra DeRuyver: others or do something at that blinds toxic leaders to What is your defi nition of a the expense of others really their shortcomings— not just Toxic Leader? How do we distinguishes serious toxic mistakes— but shortcomings, recognize them? leaders from merely careless or which then makes it diffi cult for unintentionally toxic leaders. them to engage in self-renewal. Jean Lipman-Blumen: Lack of integrity is also high A toxic leader is somebody on the list, as are cynicism, Even more problematical is the who has a poisonous 4. untrustworthiness, hypocrisy, problem of amorality. Many effect on the people or the and . Insatiable toxic leaders can’t discern that they lead. ambition that pushes leaders right from wrong. Avarice and By dint of their destructive to put their own well being greed: these make leaders put behavior and dysfunctional and power and glory above the money high up on their list personal characteristics, they well being of their followers is of things they desire. Another generate a serious, and I’d say another telltale sign. characteristic of toxic leaders is enduring, poisonous effect on their reckless disregard for the the individuals, groups, and Arrogance is still another trait. consequences of their actions to that they lead. Arrogance is important because others, as well as to themselves. They leave us worse off than it prevents individual toxic they found us. leaders from recognizing their The last two characteristics mistakes, and, therefore, they of toxic leaders are more There are many characteristics can’t correct them. Related at the unintentional end of of toxic leaders. Intentionality to this is an enormous ego toxic leadership; these are is one. The intent to harm

Th e Member Connector, International Leadership Association (Nov 2004) cowardice— which prevents toxic leaders do is identify to feel that we belong to an elite them from making diffi cult scapegoats and incite others of some kind. Third, we have a choices or taking to punish and these need to feel membership in the diffi cult actions— scapegoats. human community. Fourth, we and sheer have a need to avoid ostracism incompetence— There is still another way to and isolation, that is, social the failure to recognize toxic leaders: In many death. Fifth, we feel that we understand the instances, they structure the are not strong enough as single true nature of cost of overthrowing them in individuals to challenge a bad the problem such a way that, if they were to leader. confronting be overthrown, it would lead Then, there are deeper them and their to the loss of the entire system. existential reasons that come subsequent We’ve seen this in the corporate from simply being human. And inability to act world, where, if a CEO were the most important of these is effectively. to be fi red, the organization our fear of death and our desire 5. Those are just the qualities would have to pay him or her to live on forever. Most of us of character. When you such a high fee that the entire know we can’t live on forever think about their behavior, company would be put into in a physical sense, but we can toxic leaders are frequently bankruptcy. So the choice live on forever deliberately demeaning, is to stick with the toxic symbolically, leader or allow the whole One of the ways in disenfranchising, demoralizing which toxic leaders that is, in the and intimidating toward organization to disintegrate. minds of future seduce us is that their followers. They try to generations. That they constantly feed by Jean Lipman-Blumen incapacitate them. In political With all of these obvious means we want signs of toxic leadership, us illusions that (OXFORD University Press, 2004) situations, we’re talking about immortality. imprisoning, torturing, and why do we still follow make us believe And immortality killing their followers and them? that they are all usually means frequently their non-followers, powerful and that doing something too. That was THE question. we are quite inept heroic or That was my burning compared to them. memorable for One of the ways in which toxic question when I started the which we will be leaders seduce us is that they book. I couldn’t understand remembered. constantly feed us illusions that why. Why, when we can make us believe that they are clearly recognize them, why do Consequently, we are all powerful and that we are we keep following them? I think susceptible to anyone who quite inept compared to them. the answer is quite complex, promises to keep us safe We followers feel the need to but a major part of that answer from danger and death and rely on them, thus undermining may be found in our very deep who also shows us the way our ability to act independently. psychological and existential to immortality. One way to There’s a lot that toxic leaders needs to which these leaders achieve immortality is by do: They stifl e , lie, speak. doing something heroic. This is misdiagnose problems, and related to our existential need subvert the structures and I think there are at least fi ve to identify with a noble vision, processes that were put in place psychological needs that can so that we feel we are doing to protect truth and justice and prompt us to follow toxic something worthwhile with excellence. In doing so, they leaders. First, we have a need our lives. We like leaders with frequently engage in unethical for a reassuring authority fi gure visions. Another aspect of our and illegal and sometimes even to replace our parents. Second, existential needs involves the criminal acts. Another thing we have a need to feel special, yearning to be at the center of

Th e Member Connector, International Leadership Association (Nov 2004) things, where leaders congregate look to other people and leaders, do in women. But I’d like to see and important decisions are divine or human, for safety. We more research on that. made. turn to gods and pray that we’ll be kept safe. We’re also more Take that whole bundle of likely to put ourselves in the Many of your whistle-blower complex psychological needs hands of humans who make the and/or reformer examples, and existential anxieties and unfulfi llable promise to keep us on the other hand, are wrap them up in an individual safe. women. Are women more who lives in a world of likely than men to blow the uncertainty, technological The irreducible nub that will whistle or try to reform toxic accidents, socio-political never go away is that we will leaders? catastrophes, and unsettling all die eventually. The only personal incidents and you uncertainty about our death is That’s an interesting point. I have much of the recipe for how and when think we need to do tolerating toxic leaders. Each and under what During periods of more research on that, society has norms that defi ne conditions it will change, crisis, and but just from looking at what a leader should be, as well occur. So, we it in a non-systematic as standardized ways by which want somebody instability, people way, women do members of that society can who will reassure tend to look for their fair share of measure individual achievement us that they can safety. In such whistleblowing. and self-worth. We all would take care of us. periods, we look to like to be heroes and do We push our other people and One thing to remember 6.6. something remarkable. That anxiety down into about leads to immortality. And, if we our unconscious leaders, divine or is that most of them can’t be heroic by the standards where, human, for safety. endure a lot of of our own society, then we unbeknownst to misery. Fred Alford are more likely to be vulnerable us, it settles into has done a study to toxic leaders who typically the driver’s seat and makes us of whistleblowers that say, “I will be heroic for you, more vulnerable to toxic leaders. discusses this [C. Fred Alford, and if you join my enterprise, Whistleblowers: Broken Lives I will keep you safe. Some of Most of your examples of and Organizational Power]. my heroism will rub off on you. toxic leadership in the book Whistleblowing is very So, you will vicariously become are men. Do you think male courageous, but it also can have immortal and heroic, too.” leaders are more likely to quite devastating consequences become toxic or are they to the . I don’t say Are we more vulnerable more likely to be accepted that to discourage people from today in the U.S. than people as toxic leaders than their being whistleblowers, only to in other countries or in other female counterparts? call attention to potential serious eras? consequences. I think it’s more about the There’s always change. Change tolerance of male toxic leaders Do you think women is the one constant, but the versus female toxic leaders. are more likely to be rate of change is different at There are plenty of female toxic whistleblowers and different periods. Right now, leaders, but I think we tend reformers because they may we’re living in a period of to be more tolerant of male be more marginalized in their accelerated change. During toxic leaders. For example, we organizations than their male periods of change, crisis, and tolerate anger more in men than counterparts? instability, people tend to look we do in women. We tolerate for safety. In such periods, we more in men than we That may very well be. That’s

Th e Member Connector, International Leadership Association (Nov 2004) a good point because, when leadership all around them. patterns of behavior and you’re at the margins of a group, Exactly. qualities of character that go you don’t necessarily buy into back for decades. So, it’s quite the group’s basic assumptions. There’s another thing we hard to change them. But When you’re at the margins, haven’t talked about that is there are some strategies that I you see things differently. very interesting and that is suggest. how we tolerate toxic leaders One of the critiques of your because they are very gifted. First, you can confront them. book is that you seem to Bobby Knight might fall into But, you need to confront them equate people like Adolf that category. People thought with a group of other people, Hitler and college basketball he was such a gifted coach that not just by yourself, or you’ll be coach Bobby Knight. What they tolerated his behavior. in serious danger. So, do your do you say to criticism along homework and fi nd the other these lines? But I think there are other people in the organization who circumstances in are willing to stand What I’m trying to say is that which we forgive Not all toxic up with you. I would people have different levels of people for being also suggest that you leaders are the toxicity. Not all toxic leaders toxic. I think seek out the opinion 7.7. are the same; they vary by we put up with same; they vary leaders to go with you degree, by intent, by the toxic leaders by degree, by to confront that toxic frequency with which they who exude great intent, by the leader. act that way. Furthermore, charisma. We frequency with they may be very toxic in one are drawn into Second, sometimes you context, but not in another. It the charisma which they act can offer to counsel is unrealistic to think that toxic that they project. that way. the leader. Be sure leaders come out of a single They are so to set a timetable for extremist mold like Hitler. I cite engaging, so future sessions and Bobby Knight as a toxic leader brilliant, and so much fun that accountability meetings. Third, because he destroyed players. we really want to be around you can join with others to oust He threw chairs at them; he them. They bring so much to the leader. cursed at them; he intimidated the organization. Despite the them. He didn’t engage in fact that they lie, are corrupt, Fourth, you can go above the genocide, but that doesn’t mean are stealing, etc., we don’t leader’s head, even to the board he wasn’t toxic. In the book, I pay attention to that when of directors. Just be sure to do try to give examples of people leaders also contribute so many your homework and fi nd out who were toxic to different other things, including this which board members would degrees and in different ways. mesmerizing charisma. be responsive to your concerns. And I tried to be careful when Fifth, you can also go to the I wrote about them. I was What can we do to resist our media. Or, sixth, sometimes the conscious of that problem and need for toxic leaders and/or right decision for you might be tried to make those distinctions. reform current toxic leaders? simply to leave the organization. Perhaps I didn’t make them clearly enough. I have described some strategies Aside from the steps that for trying to reform them, individuals can take, I also In other words, you’re but frankly, I think it’s hard think there are other things critiquing people who only to reform truly toxic leaders. that organizations can do to think of toxic leadership By the time they get to those create safeguards against toxic in terms of a Hitler rather positions of leadership, they’ve leaders. These are essentially than recognizing the toxic developed deeply-engrained policy options, as distinct

Th e Member Connector, International Leadership Association (Nov 2004) from individual initiatives. For turning it into a major crisis for confront our own anxieties, example, organizations can the organization. painful as that may be, so that set term limits for leadership we are not unconsciously driven positions. They can design We also need to think about by them and, instead, we use selection processes that are open drafting people whom we all that energy in more conscious and transparent, that allow input recognize as being good leaders and constructive ways. In the from people at all levels of the but who do not necessarily book, I talk about all this much organization. They can practice think of themselves as leaders. more. serious due diligence when We don’t need to ask these hiring someone—fi nd out his or people to give up their lives, just her strengths and weaknesses. to serve for two or three or fi ve They can create respectful years. departure options, so toxic leaders can be ousted without As individuals, we also can

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Th e Member Connector, International Leadership Association (Nov 2004)