An Exploration of Leadership in Post-Primary Schools: The Emergence of Toxic Leadership

Abstract

The focus of this research was to explore school leadership in post-primary schools using an adapted Schmidt Toxic Leadership Scale ©, which the authors recalibrated to examine both constructive and destructive leadership, the impact on individuals professional and personal lives, and on staff morale. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected from 111 teaching professionals via online survey. Findings indicated a notable emergence of toxic leadership experiences which is reported in this paper. In addition, participants reported various and concerning negative consequences including: decreased job satisfaction, professional agency, and staff morale; reduced performance; increased attrition; increased negative behaviours including incivility; stifled career development; reduced self-confidence; depression; stress and anxiety; fear; tearfulness; humiliation; anger; mistrust; exhaustion; burnout; health issues; migraines; weight gain; substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, as well as, negative consequences on personal/home life. The results indicate that the quality of leadership was perceived to influence the health of respondents and had a bearing on their occupational wellbeing. Further research is needed to understand the nature of toxic leadership in education and its effects on organisational members.

The Dark Side of School Culture

“…The inclusion of frequent and consistent professional development to raise awareness and educate leaders and aspiring leaders about the negative consequences associated with toxic behaviours is currently absent from the discourse on educational leadership. In particular, leadership education that emphasises the caring and formal dimensions of an ethical climate would be of value [82,83]. The data show that toxic cultures do exist for some and this suggests the need to place emphasis on the need to foster ethical climate in school organisations [83].…”

“…In particular, leadership education that emphasises the caring and formal dimensions of an ethical climate would be of value [82,83]. The data show that toxic cultures do exist for some and this suggests the need to place emphasis on the need to foster ethical climate in school organisations [83].…”

The impact of knowledge hiding and toxic leadership on knowledge worker productivity – Evidence from IT sector of Pakistan

“…Previously, leadership was being explored on its positive aspects like different leadership styles, their effectiveness, but that was not enough. Recently, research has started to peek into the darker face of leadership (Snow et al, 2021). Among other darker areas of leadership, toxic leadership has emerged to be a prominent destructive leadership style which is defined as a style in which leader is engaged in multiple destructive behaviors that potentially could harm those who work under his leadership and resultants are ultimate drastic effects on the organization (Labrague et al, 2021;Webster et al, 2016).…”

Examining Toxic Leadership Nexus With Employee Cyberloafing Behavior via Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion

“…Using the social exchange theory (SET) and conservation of resources theory (COR), this study will examine cyberloafing behaviour that results from toxic leadership and emotional exhaustion. These theories suggest that positive relationships between leaders and subordinates are crucial to an organisation (Snow et al, 2021). Employees subjected to verbal abuse at work are less likely to demonstrate strong perform and more likely to indulge in cyberloafing as a means to escape their stress (Khan, Saeed et al, 2021;Saqib & Arif, 2017).…”