Toxic Leadership Archives - Elite Leadership Academy

February 3, 2026February 5, 2026

The Domino Effect of Harboring Toxic Leaders

Harboring toxic leaders doesn’t just create a few bad days at work; it quietly rewires your entire leadership pipeline and accelerates the loss of your best people.

The domino effect of toxic leadership is real. When you allow toxic leaders to operate unchecked, you’re not just tolerating bad behavior, you’re signaling to the entire organization that toxicity is acceptable, even rewarded. This message spreads fast. What begins as a “difficult, but high‑performing” manager can quickly evolve into a wider toxic culture that erodes trust, engagement, and retention.

January 28, 2026February 3, 2026

From One Off Promotions to a Leadership System

Promotions, lateral moves, and succession decisions are some of the most consequential choices a senior executive makes. Yet in many organizations, those decisions are made in one‑off meetings with incomplete data, heavy reliance on opinions, and limited visibility across the whole leadership bench. The result is a pattern of “surprises” – unexpected failures, stalled initiatives, and regrettable turnover – after the fact.

January 20, 2026February 3, 2026

The Profitability Leaks in Your 2026 Budget

Your 2026 profit risks are not just in the market or the economy. It’s very likely sitting in your leadership ranks. Unlock millions of dollars by uncovering toxic leaders, fixing misaligned assignments, and keeping your best people from walking to your competitors by adopting a Leadership Resources Management strategy that pays dividends in 2026 and beyond.

January 8, 2026January 19, 2026

How a CHRO Turned Toxic Leadership Into 2025 Profitability

TALES FROM THE LEADERSHIP FRONT
Maya stepped into 2025 as CHRO of a 5,000‑person pharmaceutical company with a clear mandate: improve profitability without burning people out. Her biggest constraint wasn’t the market; it was the cost of toxic and misaligned leaders quietly eroding performance, engagement, and retention at the top.

January 7, 2026January 19, 2026

The Overlooked Leadership Strategy That Will Hurt Your 2026 Profitability

Most organizations have already locked in their 2026 budgets. Yet many have quietly overlooked a leadership strategy that could mean the difference between hitting their profit targets and leaving millions on the table. That strategy is Leadership Resources Management (LRM)—a disciplined way to identify and resolve toxic leaders, reduce leadership misalignment, and retain your most valuable leadership talent.

December 19, 2025December 19, 2025

Don’t Let a Toxic Grinch Steal Your Christmas or Your 2026 Profitability!

Every year, I enjoy watching TV shows and movies about the holiday season. It’s a tradition I started with my kids when they were young and continue to this day either by myself or when they arrive for the holidays. Some of my favorites include, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and even “Die Hard.” I also like to watch the animated “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” but this year, I decided to also watch the 2000 live version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” with Jim Carrey. The animated version is my favorite, as I’ve read the book to my kids several times when they were young and even tried to imitate Boris Karloff at times. As I was watching it, I saw several parallels to toxic leadership that I’ve been writing and speaking about lately. There are 4 points about the similarities to the Grinch and a toxic leader that I would like to share with you.

December 12, 2025January 19, 2026

Why Toxic Leaders Survive So Long

People frequently ask why toxic leaders survive in an organization. In this video, I explain some of the reasons.

December 12, 2025January 19, 2026

Toxic Leaders: The Silent Profit Leak in Organizations

In organizations, a single toxic leader can quietly drain far more value than a weak product line or a small market loss. Toxic leaders create fear, favoritism, and instability that erode morale, collaboration, and trust. Employees under these leaders report higher stress, lower satisfaction, and a greater intent to leave, which pushes your best people toward competitors who offer healthier environments.

December 4, 2025January 19, 2026

The 4 Seasons of Building a Winning Leadership Management Culture

If you’ve ever followed a sports team, you know their success isn’t accidental. Coaches and players think in seasons—each with a distinct purpose, each building toward a championship. There’s the preseason, where talent is evaluated. The regular season, where strategy and alignment determine success. The postseason, when only the highest performers rise. And finally, the offseason, when reflection fuels improvement.

August 27, 2025January 19, 2026

Transforming Nursing Leadership Utilization With LeadershipRM™ – A Case Study Brief

Overview

“Gott Health” (name changed for confidentiality), a fast-growing regional hospital system, faced a leadership challenge. With 20 facilities and over 5,000 nursing staff, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) was overwhelmed—managing 24 direct reports, well beyond the limit for effective leadership. Even after reducing the number to 13, she knew a more strategic solution was needed.