A qualitative exploration of subordinates’ subjective experiences of toxic leadership
Date
2020
Authors
Selepe, Neo
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Abstract
Toxic Leadership is a critical issue that results in severely negative impacts on wellbeing, not
only of the subordinates who are exposed to it, but also for the organisation at large. Individuals
exposed to toxic leadership tend to have negative work experiences that have often been
characterized as being harmful, humiliating and even unfair. These experiences are potentially
destructive to all facets of an individual, be it psychologically, physically, spiritually or
socially, and commonly then compromise, an individual’s sense of purpose and meaning. The
aim of this study is therefore to present a qualitative account of toxic leadership within the
workplace. Through conducting an in-depth exploration of subordinates lived experiences of
toxic leadership within the work environment, the study undertook to explore and unpack the
toxic leadership phenomena and its bearings on subordinates. Eight individuals who worked in
the consulting industry in Johannesburg, South Africa, who admitted/acknowledged to have
had first-hand experience of toxic leadership or were at the time a subordinate of a toxic leader,
were interviewed with regards to their perceptions and subjective experiences of toxic
leadership. Data was collected for this study by means of face-to-face semi-structured
interviews that were based on a self-developed interview schedule. The results of this study
indicated that owing to the toxic leader’s behaviour a number of adverse impacts on the
individual – such as psychological and physical effects, poor eating and sleeping patterns,
dissociative and post-traumatic stress symptoms, a lack of confidence and emotional
breakdown among others – and on the organisation – such as an increase in counterproductive
work behaviours, a lack of organisational commitment, engagement and motivation – result.
The findings of this study are noteworthy as they provide detailed insights into the effects that
toxic leaders have, not only on the ability of subordinates to work effectively, but also on their
sense of self, their psychological and physical wellbeing. These findings can hopefully make
organisations aware of the Toxic Leadership phenomena, and furthermore afford them with the
necessary measures for identifying Toxic Leadership and circumventing the presence of this
phenomenon within the workplace
Description
A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the
degree of MA by coursework and Research Report (Organisational Psychology)
in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2020