The Toxicity of Bad Leadership

Jack Zenger's post on the Forbes blog illustrates what others at the Hay Group in the United Kingdom observed several years ago: that the behaviors of the top leader in an organization cascade downward to alter affect almost everyone in the organization. What Zenger calls "the contagious effect of good and bad leadership" is really about how those at the top set the tone for those at lower hierarchical levels. We may not like the idea, but what this suggests is that when we work for an asshole, we are more likely to become one ourselves.Or, put another, more direct way, when the head of school is an ass, it raises the likelihood that others in the school will adopt this style as well. The Hay research, much of which was done with Dan Goleman of emotional intelligence fame, showed that school climate, along with a significant proportion of school results, derives from the headteacher's (these studies were in the UK) leadership style. In short, the data all point in the same direction: those at top drive more than just results in the school.So, a caution to search committees: hire as much for style as for execution on objectives. It shouldn't be all one or the other. And, hire very carefully.