The most toxic managers I’ve ever worked with had one thing in common:
They were obsessed with control. They didn’t lead; they clung. Clung to credit, to their version of ‘the right way,’ to every spreadsheet, sentence and status update.
Ask someone what their nightmare boss was like and you’ll hear variations of the same pattern:
- They didn’t trust anyone.
- They micromanaged the font size.
- They took the praise and dodged the fallout.
That’s not power, it’s panic. Control like that doesn’t come from strength, it comes from fear. Fear of being outshone, of being wrong, of being irrelevant, and it’s exhausting for everyone in the blast radius.
Micromanagement isn’t leadership, it’s a nervous tic dressed up as excellence, and it slowly bleeds out your best people. If you’re stuck under one of these leaders, you’ve got choices. I have some good news for you…
You’re not the problem!
You can, however, become collateral if you don’t protect your energy.
Plan, record, stay visible, and most importantly, know when you’re done. If you, as a Manager, are reading this uncomfortably thinking, “…wait a minute, is this me?” Then it probably is.
But there’s more good news…Managers can unlearn it!
It is possible to stop managing through fear and start leading like someone who knows the difference…or you can keep clenching. Just don’t be surprised when your team walks out with their talent, and your credibility, in their back pocket.
Want help fixing it?
Drop me a message or comment “Enough’s enough” and I’ll send you a free guide to reset how you lead, without losing your grip or your mind.
Feel Good Works: Face it. Fix it. Futureproof it.
#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #Wellbeing #Burnout #ToxicWorkplaces #PeopleLeaveManagers #FeelGoodWorks
