SSG Private RallyPoint Member 157291 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Leaders,<br />I have noticed many leaders in the ranks that are failing to uphold the standard that we all love and sacrifice for each and everyday. It seems many leaders forget that leading soldiers is a privilege not a right! With that being said, how do we fix this issue of toxic leadership? 2014-06-18T07:39:27-04:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 157291

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Leaders,<br />I have noticed many leaders in the ranks that are failing to uphold the standard that we all love and sacrifice for each and everyday. It seems many leaders forget that leading soldiers is a privilege not a right! With that being said, how do we fix this issue of toxic leadership?

2014-06-18T07:39:27-04:00 2014-06-18T07:39:27-04:00 SFC Michael Hasbun 29344

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>All tools, placed into the hands of humans, will be subject to the effects of human failings.

2013-12-30T10:52:52-05:00 2013-12-30T10:52:52-05:00 COL Private RallyPoint Member 157313

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>There are a couple of threads on this already, but for the sake of it...first is true identification of what "toxic leadership" is. It's received a lot of attention and a lot of definitions. Toxic is a pretty strong term. Toxicity roughly translates to poisonous. It has to be so bad that it is tearing a unit or people apart and creating a horrible command climate. There are a lot of tough leaders that are being tough for the right reasons that are labeled as toxic by the people they challenge every day. We need to make sure we are labeling it properly. As far as what to do about it, it's really in the hands of the leadership of those people. Often it is hard to see from above, which makes sensing sessions and command climate sruveys important for a senior commander to determine what is going on. NCO's need to step up and let their commanders know when something is wrong as well. Once a toxic leader is truly identified, then it's about counseling and telling someone that they are...toxic. I had the opportunity to change one of these types of people recently. I told him that he was one of the top performers, but he was an a$$hat, and that he wouldn't be getting a top-block rating because of it. It's about leaders taking responsibility for the actions of their people and not letting them off the hook just because they can perform.

2014-06-18T08:20:41-04:00 2014-06-18T08:20:41-04:00 SFC Michael Hasbun 157318

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>These seems to be some nomenclature confusion when it comes to "Toxic" leadership. A poor leader is a poor leader, I don't think that definition needs clarifying. Now a "toxic" leader is a poor leader whose actions or inactions cause residual effects throughout the unit. The poor leader to whom you can trace a lot of your woes. That's where the term "toxic leader" came from, it replies to the spreading effect, ie toxic. It's not a blanket term for any bad leader. It's for the poor leader whose dirtbaggery is spreading, causing residual effects throughout the unit.

2014-06-18T08:25:42-04:00 2014-06-18T08:25:42-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 157358

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Can you provide examples of your idea of "toxic leadership"?

2014-06-18T09:21:51-04:00 2014-06-18T09:21:51-04:00 SFC Private RallyPoint Member 157589

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>So many Soldiers have defined what a "toxic" leader is but no one has given any idea of substance as to what to do with these individuals that are "toxic". First I would like to say that a I agree with everyone that a "toxic" leader has negative effects on the mentality, actions and the command as a whole (dont sharp shoot that statement because you all have already beat that horse dead). But what do we do to get rid of these individuals? I believe in second chances but not third, fourths etc. etc. Having said that, I think these individuals need their actions, words etc need to be brought to their attention. I have learned that sometimes people dont realize the impact they can have on someone else. If they have not improved after observation then actions should be taken to remove that service member from the military. Of course there are times when a person is just a bad person and they cant be salvaged. I also believe in the old saying of "Each one teach one" (the whole "it take s village" mentality). It is all of our responsibility to mentor the wave of Soldiers behind us and if we as leaders dont correct things then an argument can be made that we arent helping so we are part of the problem. Im not saying that we all need to stand by our windows yelling at every Soldier that makes a minor infraction but true mentorship is not easy and it takes time. Things like going to the motorpool with your Soldiers and PMCSing the vehicles with them or doing that log PT with them or dredsing in your A's during inspection time and using your uniform as an example so forth and so on. To sum it up.........being a positive role model and mentor for the future Soldier as well as taking out the trash is most effective IMHO!

2014-06-18T12:43:35-04:00 2014-06-18T12:43:35-04:00 MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca 165218

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Fratricide!

2014-06-27T13:42:32-04:00 2014-06-27T13:42:32-04:00 SPC Angel Guma 381803

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>There really is no 'cure'. You can't just wisk these people away...when its estimated they make up almost 20% of the Army's leadership. NCOERs, OERs, or 360 evals, won't do anything. All that they are, are the means for favorites to keep giving good evals for their favorites and to damn or destroy the careers of people who don't fit in with the in-crowd. <br /><br />The only real cure would be for some sort of catastrophic failure as a result of toxic leadership. Its only when there's blood on the ground that people might wake up and do something about it.

2014-12-22T14:26:53-05:00 2014-12-22T14:26:53-05:00 CSM David Heidke 381824

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I have seen "toxic" leadership. I have also seen good leadership, that was firm but fair, which held people to a high standard, labeled "toxic" by those who did not agree with the standard.<br /><br />The term toxic leadership is a catch all, that brands many unfairly.<br /><br />And if you get the right subordinate who knows all the right IG hotlines, then you too can be toxic, no matter what your style is.

2014-12-22T14:44:38-05:00 2014-12-22T14:44:38-05:00 1SG Frank Boynton 381845

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In my day we started to see leadership qualities go south for the primary reason of the Army's Up or Out initiative. You either got promoted or toss out of the Army. Many good soldiers who were not leaders, did not want to be leaders, were forced to get promoted into leadership positions. I know awesome mechanics, welders, and many engineers, of the construction kind, that were totally awesome at their jobs and would be happy to stay and retire at 20 as an E2 or E3 but the Army said no. Forcing a carpenter to become a leader, when all he wants to do is build things, hurt the core of the NCO more than anything else. There will always be people who want to be in leadership positions, there is no reason to force anyone into it. <br /><br />In 1973 a specialist E-4 (a good friend) retired as an E4, having been busted from E-5 to E-4 no less than 8 times in his career. He was a mechanic who had the only M88 Vehicle Track Retriever that was never deadlined. If anyone knows anything about the M88 it was in Depot maintenance more than they were out of it. He was pure mechanic and he was happy to retire as an E4. Everytime he would pin of Sergeant stripes he'd do something to get busted. Back then you could retire at any rank. I'm sure the services still have people who are great at what they joined the military to do, and would be happy to do that their entire lives, without having to lead.

2014-12-22T14:59:29-05:00 2014-12-22T14:59:29-05:00 CPT Jack Durish 383309

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>What is "toxic" leadership? It sounds pretty bad. <br /><br />In Vietnam, I suppose that "toxic leaders" were the ones who got "fragged". (Now don't jump me for saying that. I didn't invent "fragging". I don't support or encourage "fragging". It just seems that "fragging" sounds equivalent to "toxic leadership"; it gets someone killed.)<br /><br />I think I better split now and search for a discussion of what is good leadership and how do we inculcate it in our leaders. That sounds like a safer topic...

2014-12-23T12:30:08-05:00 2014-12-23T12:30:08-05:00 1LT Nick Kidwell 386275

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Well, I had a toxic leader who was court-martialed and earned himself a BCD + full forfeiture + time in Leavenworth. <br /><br />Just a suggestion.

2014-12-25T16:36:07-05:00 2014-12-25T16:36:07-05:00 SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member 399352

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I would say that a lot of the toxic leadership issue comes from lack of education and training. The military has so many fiscal restraints that we are losing valuable tools that help develop our personnel. It doesn't help when we're making it harder and harder for our top leadership to stay in the military either. We are slowly getting rid of our SNCO's and the experience that goes with them cannot be replaced! It's only going to get worse.

2015-01-03T13:22:27-05:00 2015-01-03T13:22:27-05:00 MAJ Ken Landgren 776358

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Every toxic leader I met, was a toxic leader when I left.

2015-06-28T13:03:29-04:00 2015-06-28T13:03:29-04:00 2014-06-18T07:39:27-04:00