I once heard a CEO say, “It’s not my job to care about my employees; it’s my job to care about making a profit.”

He was known for being an absent leader, hot-headed, egotistical, and super toxic. A year and a half later, his company closed down.

The fact is, no one wants to think they’re the toxic one. And as our 2025 National Workplace Trends Study shows, toxic leadership is one of the fastest ways to kill retention, morale, and productivity.

According to the study:

• 52% would take less money just to work for a boss they respect.
• And 1 in 4 workers describe their workplace as toxic.

So if we want to build teams that thrive, we have to be brave enough to look in the mirror.

Here are 5 signals you might be a toxic leader:

1. You Gossip.

You think you’re just blowing off steam, or you gossip under the guise of ‘venting’, but your team hears: "It's okay to talk about people behind their backs."

Fix it: Vent up, not down. Choose mentors or coaches to confide in, not coworkers or subordinates.

2. You Promote Based on Nepotism.

"They're my friend", or “they’re my family”, is not a reason to promote someone. No one respects a manager who is unqualified for the position they’re in. Even worse, they lose respect for the leader who promoted that person.

Fix it: Create clear, performance-based metrics for advancement. Promote based on who multiplies results and team trust.

3. You Lead by Fear.

Micromanaging. Publicly shaming and withholding information. These all create fear-based performance, which only lasts in short-term, low-performing bursts, not a sustained level of excellence.

Fix it: High-trust leaders communicate early, delegate often, and coach through mistakes instead of punishing them. They also promote a culture of excellence, starting by showing up that way themselves.

4. You Lead with Ego.

If your team only hears about your wins, your sacrifices, and your stress, they’ll eventually feel devalued, like you are the only one that matters. Great leaders make the biggest impact when they let others shine above themselves.

Fix it: Practice inclusive leadership. Ask more questions than you answer. Recognize others publicly, and let your upper management be the ones to recognize you when the time is right. 

5. You Avoid Conflict.

Delayed feedback to workplace drama often leads to workplace toxicity. And the longer you wait to address the issue, the more resentment toward you starts to grow.

Fix it: Train your leaders and staff to address small misalignments before they become full-blown issues.

Remember, toxic leaders aren’t born. They’re built by bad habits and poor leadership development. Get your leaders into a solid leadership training program that covers both character and coaching development, and transform your culture from a toxic workplace into a Destination Workplace™.

Challenge this week:

Audit your culture and your leadership style. Ask your team what behaviors they need more of, and what they need less of. Then act on it.

Because what you tolerate in yourself is what your team will repeat.

Want more data-backed strategies for building leaders your people actually want to follow?

VisitDestination Workplace orBook Betsy to speak at your next event.

About Betsy: 

Featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC, Betsy Allen Manning is a high-energy leadership keynote speaker and workplace culture strategist who equips organizations across corporate, franchise, association, non-profit, and government sectors to develop high-achievers, high-impact leaders and high-purpose cultures. Through her national workplace research and DNA Activation Framework, she delivers data-backed, high-interaction keynote presentations and workshops that strengthen performance, leadership, and retention. Betsy is also the founder of Destination Workplace™, an award-winning leadership training company in Dallas, trusted by some of the world's most elite brands nationwide.