Colloquium Presentation Discussion Aspen University Fall 2024 Pt. 2

This episode summarizes the main themes and critical insights presented by Dr. Johnson in a colloquium focusing on toxic leadership within public education. The presentation draws upon interview data from six participants and connects their experiences to existing literature on toxic leadership, social justice theory, and critical leadership theory. Key findings reveal a strong correlation between toxic leadership behaviors (such as bullying, micromanagement, and narcissistic tendencies) and negative outcomes including diminished employee well-being, poor morale, increased stress, and potential negative impacts on student learning. The discussion also explores the prevalence of such experiences, potential physical and psychological consequences for employees, and the need for solutions focused on prevention, intervention, and fostering positive leadership qualities. Main Themes and Important Ideas: 1. Pervasiveness and Impact of Toxic Leadership: The colloquium highlights the significant presence of toxic leadership behaviors in the education sector, as evidenced by the experiences of the interviewed participants. Dr. Johnson notes that participants reported frequent exposure to "negative verbiage" and detrimental treatment, with some individuals witnessing it "16 or more" times in their careers. The analysis of interview transcripts revealed recurring negative themes associated with toxic leadership, including: Diminished Well-being: Participants used words like "way worse than what we've already experienced," "afraid," "internally upset," "mad," and considered "quitting." Oppressive and Demoralizing Environments: Language used included "oppressive," "despondent," "upset," "leaving," "criticized," "making you feel less than," and "terrified." Unfavorable Leadership Behaviors: Participants described "negative vocabulary," "favoritism," "bad leaders," "lack of motivation," being "ignored," "stress," "micromanagement," "impossible," "unapproachable," "horrible meetings," "nitpicking," and being "treated like dogs." Dr. Johnson emphasizes the interconnectedness of these negative experiences, stating, "connections between psychological damage, bullying, poor morale and micromanagement again emerge." Witnessing toxic behavior can be just as damaging as directly experiencing it. Dr. Johnson shared her own experience: "that vicarious observation of this toxicity uh can still be just as damaging as as it directly happening to you...it made me want to just duck my head and don't, you know, don't don't put yourself on the radar or you're going to be next was kind of the feeling." 2. Correlation with Negative Outcomes: The research indicates a strong positive correlation between toxic leadership and negative employee outcomes: Employee Turnover: "Significant aspects connected to employee turnover such as hegemonic culture and abusive behavior and bullying were shown to be correlated." Participants reported leaving or considering leaving toxic environments. One participant was "reprimanded for being proactive," reinforcing a negative and controlling environment. Employee Stress and Reduced Well-being: "Toxic leadership is positively correlated with employee stress and turnover...Evidence of participant statements is supported by the literature study as well." Physical and Psychological Health Issues: Three of the six participants experienced physical manifestations of stress, including "irritability, anxiety, rage, poor concentration, sadness, forgetfulness, and um mental health issues, needing to go see a counselor." Physical symptoms included "higher blood pressure, ulcers, headaches," and one non-participating individual was advised by a doctor to quit due to the toxic environment's detrimental physical effects. Lowered Morale, Motivation, and Self-Esteem: "The morale, motivation, self-esteem of all of these constituents are lowered when administrators exhibit abusive or toxic behavior by using aggressive and harmful influence strategies." Poor Work Satisfaction: The study found that abused employees are "more likely to suffer from worry, stress, and poor work satisfaction." Perceived Violation of Psychological Contract: One participant shared a story of a principal demanding rescheduling of doctor appointments, highlighting a disregard for employee rights and personal needs. 3. Impact on Students: Dr. Johnson highlights the potential trickle-down effect of toxic leadership on students: "Toxic leaders in school districts for instance may have a negative impact on teacher morale and by extension the children's educational experience...The results for the students usually suffer as a result of a decline of motivation and output by the teachers." A participant, Darlene, echoed this, stating, "students do suffer...my students were my primary aim and what they were gaining in class was my primary issue. So therefore I could I could basically disassociate what was happening to me so that it didn't transfer to my students." However, she also acknowledged the potential for bullied teachers to "resort to bullying their students." Dr. Johnson identified a gap in the literature regarding the direct effects of toxic leadership on students' "mental health and how it affects their academic performance and overall school climate." 4. Characteristics of Toxic Leaders: Based on the participant accounts, toxic leaders in this study were characterized by: Bullying and Intimidation: "Results showed that toxic leadership is associated with several negative traits such as bullying and intimidation." Self-Centeredness: (Implied through behaviors and consequences) Social Isolation: (Implied through the lack of positive relationships) Unproductive Job Practices: (Evidenced by micromanagement and demoralization) Micromanagement: This was a recurring theme, described as a significant aspect of toxic behavior. Narcissistic Characteristics, Autocratic Behavior, and Authoritarian Inclinations: "the tox leader was characterized by the participants as exhibiting narcissistic characteristics, acting autocratically and displaying authoritarian inclinations." 5. The Need for Solutions and Preventative Measures (The "Upstream" Approach): Dr. Johnson emphasizes the urgent need to "find ways to fix it," requiring "a little transparency." The "upstream growth" parable illustrates the importance of addressing the root causes of toxic leadership rather than just dealing with its consequences. The question posed is: "What can we do preventatively prior to someone becoming a leader to stop the toxicity?" Recommendations include: Equipping teachers with "tools in their tool belt" and coping mechanisms to handle toxic leadership. This area requires further study. Public education institutions should investigate the long-term effects of toxic leadership on staff morale and output. Research is needed on how to equip toxic leaders to become good leaders. Further studies are necessary to understand the impact of toxic leadership on student learning experiences and academic outcomes across different regions. Integrating the topic of proper relationship management and support for staff into principal preparation programs in colleges. "If you're preparing to be a principal, you need to know how to care about and support your staff and not be a manager." Fostering a "continual and open conversation" about the relationships between administration and teachers. 6. The Importance of Self-Reflection and Vulnerability: Dr. Johnson posed a reflective question: "If you are currently in a leadership role, can you be introspective enough to identify times you have been toxic? Would you receive constructive feedback from your constituents or colleagues without repercussions?" This highlights the necessity for self-awareness in leadership. A participant, Darlene, shared her personal experience of recognizing and correcting her own tendency towards toxic behavior as a new principal, emphasizing the importance of "vulnerability" and a shift from flexing positional authority to "servant" leadership. The negative example of a principal publicly dismissing feedback on micromanagement underscores the difficulty some toxic leaders have in accepting criticism and engaging in self-reflection. "Well, there's a reality check if everyone is telling you. So, you have to have a heart posture to be able to receive feedback like that and then self-examine." Behavior modification alone is insufficient for lasting change; internal change through self-examination and vulnerability is crucial. 7. The Broader Societal Implications: A participant raised the point that the pervasiveness of toxic behavior, including in politics and visible through social media, can normalize such behavior for younger generations. "when we behave in these ways, we teach them that behaving in these ways is an option." Quotes: "It got way worse than what we've already experienced." (Participant describing diminished well-being) "I don't have time to talk." (Principal ignoring participants) "oppressive, despondent, upset, leaving besides themselves, criticized, making you feel less than, and terrified." (Words used to describe the work environment) "negative vocabulary, favoritism, bad leaders, lack of motivation, demoralized again, ignored stress, micromanagement again, impossible, unapproachable, uh horrible meetings, nitpicking, toxic behavior, and treated like dogs." (Unfavorable phrases used by participants) "...that vicarious observation of this toxicity uh can still be just as damaging as as it directly happening to you...it made me want to just duck my head and don't, you know, don't don't put yourself on the radar or you're going to be next was kind of the feeling." (Dr. Johnson reflecting on witnessing toxic behavior) "Significant aspects connected to employee turnover such as hegemonic culture and abusive behavior and bullying were shown to be correlated." (Dr. Johnson on factors related to turnover) "Toxic leadership is positively correlated with employee stress and turnover and negatively correlated with organizational commitment and work satisfaction." (Dr. Johnson summarizing literature and findings) "Toxic leaders in school districts for instance may have a negative impact on teacher morale and by extension the children's educational experience." (Dr. Johnson on the impact on students) "Don't be proactive. Just do what I say when I say it." (Example of a toxic leader's directive) "I'm going upstream to find out who's throwing all these kids in the water." (The "upstream growth" parable) "If you're preparing to be a principal, you need to know how to care about and support your staff and not be a manager." (Dr. Johnson on principal preparation) "students do suffer...my students were my primary aim and what they were gaining in class was my primary issue. So therefore I could I could basically disassociate what was happening to me so that it didn't transfer to my students." (Participant Darlene on the impact on students) "Well, there's a reality check if everyone is telling you. So, you have to have a heart posture to be able to receive feedback like that and then self-examine." (Participant Darlene on the importance of receiving feedback) Conclusion: Dr. Johnson's colloquium provides compelling evidence of the detrimental effects of toxic leadership in public education. The findings highlight the widespread experience of negative behaviors, their significant impact on employee well-being and potential consequences for students. The emphasis on understanding the root causes of toxic leadership and fostering preventative measures, coupled with the importance of self-reflection and vulnerability among leaders, offers a crucial framework for addressing this pervasive issue and cultivating healthier, more supportive educational environments. The call for further research, particularly on the impact on students and effective intervention strategies, underscores the ongoing need to address this critical challenge.