So I ask, have you ever experienced a manager, supervisor, or perhaps a team leader who uses fear tactics to beat their followers into submission? Perhaps you may have been employed by an organization that kept you in a constant state of trepidation or anxiety and every decision you made at work was rooted in your fear of being punished, or fear of retaliation, retribution, or some other toxic motive. Unfortunately, many of you who read this will agree and be haunted by the painful emotions this experience caused you as an employee.
Sadly, fear-based leadership is alive and well in today's organizations. Fear-based leadership relies on intimidation, abuse of authority, strict control, and punitive measures to ensure compliance and performance. Followers are convinced being silent is the best policy out of fear of losing their jobs or being bullied.
Individual leaders who adopt this style often emphasize the consequences of failure, creating an environment of anxiety and apprehension. This type of "leadership" stems from. a place of fear of losing control, a lack of trust in their team, or an insecurity about their abilities.
Keep in mind fear-based leadership is not limited to just one bad apple within the organization. It may be the culture of the organization is toxic, which fosters this behavior throughout the company, its leaders, policies, and practices. Rather than a manager or supervisor being a micromanager or using authority to intimidate, it is the organization that imposes toxic dominance, motivating its employees through fearful policies and practices.
Whether it be an individual or an organization, fear-based leadership is related to narcissistic leadership - exhibiting characteristics such as arrogance, dominance, hostility, and power. Priority is about themselves or the organization, and there is minimal empathy or concern over the well-being of others.
The Negative Outcomes of Fear-Based Leadership
eIndeed, feeeeeeeeear-based leadership can lead to short-term results and swift execution of tasks albeit only because followers fear the repercussions. Victims (becuase that is what they are) of fear-based leadership can experience both short-term and long-term mental and physical trauma including:
Work-related stress and anxiety
Depression and mental health issues
Low self-esteem and confidence
Burnout
The negative effects of fear-based leadership run deep in the psyche of its victims and unfortunately can reach beyond the boundaries of the workplace. This is perhaps why some call fear-based leadership a form of psychological terrorism.
As you can imagine, this form of leadership comes at a high cost to the organization as it summons several negative outcomes, such as:
Low productivity
Lack of trust
Low morale
Reduced creativity
Absence of Psychological Safety
Absenteeism
High turnover
Its Time to Transition Away from Fear
In a 2023 survey conducted by First & First Leadership unearthed some very startling findings. Among those surveyed:
Nearly 1 in 3 identify as a fear-based leader
More than 41% of fearful leaders noticed a drop in performance from their teams while nearly 60% acknowledged their direct reports are ‘unhappy with their job’
Fearful leaders favored stressful work environments, believing stress to be the most effective way to motivate their direct reports, with 39% ‘strongly agreeing’ stress can be positively harnessed
Fear-based leaders recognize their toxic behavior have a negative impact on the organization, such as job disatisfaction and loss of productivity
If this type of leadership is allowed to withstand and be rewarded, it will permeate throughout the organization, eventually cultivating a hostile work environment, harrassment, and intimidation. Furthermore, the culture of the organization and its climate will shift to being unhealthy and toxic. The negative effects of fear-based leadership are apparent and organizational leaders have a responsibility to develop their leaders so fear tactics are no longer part of their leadership style.
Tools for Healthy Leadership
Organizations have a host of tools to combat the negative effects fear-based leadership inside organizations. In contrast, trust-based leadership builds on mutual respect, open communication, and empowerment. Leaders cultivate a supportive atmosphere where team members feel valued and trusted. This approach encourages collaboration, innovation, and a strong sense of ownership among employees. Trust-based leaders provide guidance and resources, fostering an environment where individuals are motivated to excel because they feel appreciated and confident in their roles. This style leads to sustainable performance, high job satisfaction, and loyalty. Team members are more willing to take risks, share ideas, and work towards common objectives, knowing their contributions are trusted and valued. Other methods include developing emotional and social intelligence as well as other positive forms of leadership training. The organiztion can also take the step toward removing toxic behaviors from their culture by creating a no tolerance policy warning company leaders against their use of fear, harassment, and intimidation tactics.
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