In the era of smart work, remote teams and so-called “flexibility,” the concept of leadership should have evolved. Yet, in many corners of the modern professional landscape, power is still exercised by methods of past decades — through fear, imposition and control. And somewhere between to-do lists, zoom meetings and KPIs, the fundamental truth is forgotten: leadership is not a title. It is influence. It is a role model. It is responsibility.
Marcia Lynn Whicker, in her book Toxic Leaders: When Organizations Go Bad, was the first to give substance to the term “toxic leader” — a leader who, as she writes, exhibits “poisonous” behavior, harming both people and organizations. These are individuals marked by intense narcissism, a lack of empathy and an inability to understand boundaries. They pursue victory at all costs, not for the team, but for their own image. They impose their views with anger, overload others with excessive demands, isolate those who do not serve their interests and cancel every initiative they do not control.
And while their outward image may be “glamorous,” the environment they leave behind is heavy. Effective leadership, on the other hand, is built on solid foundations: communication, cultivation, respect. It is not “laid back.” It is steady. It is not friendly because it avoids conflict, but because it manages it with respect. Such a leader does not command. They coordinate. They do not manipulate. They inspire.
The silent acceptance of power
And if all this sounds theoretical, reality confirms it every day in every professional environment. Wherever there is leadership without awareness, there are employees who remain silent, who suffocate, who internally resign before even leaving.
Here emerges one of the most troubling aspects of toxic leadership: its silent acceptance by those below.
Hierarchy by itself is not the problem. We need structure, responsibility, coordination. But when hierarchy turns into a pyramid of fear, every step is built on silence. The silent acceptance of power — the familiar “that’s just how things are” — is what allows the toxic to appear “legitimate” or “inevitable.”
It is the moment when employees stop speaking up. When they bow their heads because “nothing will change.” When they endure — while breaking inside. And when voices fall silent, leadership does not correct itself. It takes root. It becomes the norm.
That is why the most important measure of leadership quality is not numbers. It is people.
The toxic leader may bring temporary results but leaves behind mental damage.
The effective leader does not need to shout to be heard — because they have already earned trust.
And now, the question passes to the other side of the desk:
If you have power, what do you do with it?
Do you wield it as a tool for growth or hold it as a weapon of control?
Do you see those around you as partners or as “costs”?
Do you look away when their morale falls — or do you ask “how are you?” with sincerity?
A leader is not the one they fear to challenge.
A leader is the one they feel they can trust.
If you lead people, remember:
Your position is not a privilege. It is a mission.
If you do not inspire, if you do not educate, if you do not protect — then you merely rule.
Power without heart is an empty chair. As Kostas Karyotakis says:
“What use is power to me,
if it holds no place in my heart
for the pain and yearning of the many?“
A leader, then, is not the one who imposes, but the one who bears the burden of responsibility for all. And if they do not, it is the beginning of the end.