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Scarlette Isaac

How to approach toxic leadership


Toxic leadership can be damaging not only to your job satisfaction, but also your mental health and wellbeing. In this blog, we explore what toxic leadership can look like and how to tackle it.


Examples of toxic leadership


Here are a few warning signs of toxic leadership…


  • Bullying and harassment


Bullying and harassment can be as subtle as giving you an unfair schedule compared to your colleagues, or something more obvious like verbal criticism in front of patients or being emotionally manipulative.


  • Favouritism


This might look like leaving you out of socials, only being available to or reserving praise for certain colleagues, regardless of the fact that they are of equal skill level to you.


  • Micromanagement


Does your supervisor control and monitor every aspect of your work, never trusting you to take initiative? While learning is a big part of nursing, it becomes a problem when your boss doesn’t seem to trust you with anything and believes their way is the only way to do things.


  • Lack of transparency

Leaders who withhold information, make decisions behind closed doors, and keep their team in the dark about important matters. Obviously, this can create an atsmohpere of distrust and hostility - not something we want in the world of healthcare!

  • Blame-shifting


If you notice that your boss is consistently deflecting blame onto their team, even when they are responsible for failures or mistakes, this is a massive red flag. Not only does it undermine accountability and morale, but also puts other people’s professions at risk .


How to approach toxic leadership


If any of the above is familiar to your workplace, it might be time to take action. For example:

  • Document incidents

Keep a record of specific instances of toxic behavior. Include dates, times, locations, individuals involved, and a description of what happened. This documentation can be crucial when reporting the issue.

Consult with colleagues


Discuss your concerns with trusted colleagues to get their perspective and support. They may have experienced similar situations and can offer advice on how they have dealt with it.


Report it


Familiarise yourself with your practice’s policies and procedures for reporting workplace issues. Report the issue to the relevant member of staff, who will be able to guide you through the complaints process and provide support.


We hope you found this blog helpful - if you think it’s time for a new challenge, get in touch on 0203 929 4010 and we’ll help you land your dream nursing role!




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