Army worries about ‘toxic leaders’ in ranks
By Greg Jaffe
Published: June 25; Washington Post
A major U.S. Army survey of leadership and morale found that more than 80 percent of Army officers and sergeants had directly observed a “toxic” leader in the last year and that about 20 percent of the respondents said that they had worked directly for one.
The Army defined toxic leaders as commanders who put their own needs first, micro-managed subordinates, behaved in a mean-spirited manner or displayed poor decision making. About half of the soldiers who worked under toxic leaders expected that their selfish and abusive commanders would be promoted to a higher level of leadership.
The survey also found that 97 percent of officers and sergeants had observed an “exceptional leader” within the Army in the past year.
“This may create a self-perpetuating cycle with harmful and long-lasting effects on morale, productivity and retention of quality personnel,” the survey concluded. “There is no indication that the toxic leadership issue will correct itself.”
“We are looking at the command selection process asking how can we introduce 360-degree evaluations,” General Martin Dempsey (the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) said in a meeting with reporters this spring. “We can ask a battalion commander, does the senior commander [over him] engender a climate of trust.” Such an approach could help weed out toxic leaders.
“We are looking at the command selection process asking how can we introduce 360-degree evaluations,” General Martin Dempsey (the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) said in a meeting with reporters this spring. “We can ask a battalion commander, does the senior commander [over him] engender a climate of trust.” Such an approach could help weed out toxic leaders.
