Toxic managers don’t just make bad days — they crush confidence and destroy careers.
Great leaders? They do the opposite. They empower, inspire, and create an environment where we can truly thrive.
One of my mentors once said:
“When you work for a toxic manager, you feel like you are the problem."
"When you work for a great leader, you feel like you are the solution.”
I have seen both types of leadership firsthand — shaping me into the leader that I am today.
Here’s what I’ve learned about leadership that builds people up instead of breaking them down:
☝🏼 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲.
↳ Toxic managers shut people down.
↳ Great leaders listen with curiosity and are willing to be wrong.
People can’t thrive in fear. A leader’s job is to create a space where it’s okay to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes.
✌🏼 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.
↳ Toxic managers make people afraid to make mistakes.
↳ Great leaders teach people how to learn from them.
Instead of pointing fingers, ask, “What did we learn? What can we do better next time?”
🤟🏼 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧.
↳ Toxic managers assume the work is expected.
↳ Great leaders notice effort, celebrate wins, and give credit where it’s due.
Ask your team members how they like to be appreciated (public shoutouts, private messages, etc.). Recognition works best when it feels personal.
🖖🏼 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞.
↳ Toxic managers praise overwork and burnout.
↳ Great leaders normalize boundaries, encourage breaks, and check in about mental health.
Lead by example. Say things like, “You don’t need to reply after hours,” or “Take the day off to recover”.
Toxic managers break careers. Great leaders build them.
Which type of leader has had the biggest impact on you—and why?
