One of the consequences of our obsession with leadership is the tendency to promote the wrong person into a leadership role. Too often, individuals are promoted based on their technical skills or tenure, without considering their ability to lead effectively. When this happens, not only does it harm the individual promoted, but it also erodes the trustfulness of employees and damages the organization as a whole. This issue was the focus of a recent episode of The Trust Show, where I interviewed Dr. April Minatrea, a clinical psychologist who specializes in leadership dynamics. Drawing from her extensive experience working with military veterans and in private practice, Dr. Minatrea shared insights on the lasting damage bad leadership can cause and how to heal these “leadership injuries.”
This article explores the concept of leadership injuries, how they affect employees and organizations, and what can be done to prevent and address them.
What Are Leadership Injuries?
Leadership injuries are the psychological and emotional harm inflicted on employees by poor leadership practices. These injuries occur when a leader’s actions—or lack of support—damage an employee's confidence, trust in leadership, and overall engagement with their work. These injuries can result from overt actions like public criticism, micromanagement, or failure to recognize hard work. But they can also arise from neglect, such as not providing necessary resources or failing to protect employees from toxic workplace dynamics.
When leadership injuries occur, they alter an employee’s belief systems, particularly around self-worth and trust in authority. Employees who have experienced poor leadership may begin to doubt their own abilities, lose trust in their current leader, and, even more damaging, become less willing to trust future leaders. In many cases, the emotional scars from bad leadership remain buried and affect how employees show up in future work environments.
Trustfulness and Trustworthiness: A Two-Way Relationship
Trust in a leader is not just a function of the leader’s trustworthiness. It also depends on the employee’s “trustfulness,” or their willingness to extend trust in the first place. Leadership injuries can diminish this trustfulness, leaving employees more guarded and skeptical of leadership in general. When employees feel betrayed or unsupported by their leaders, their capacity to trust again—whether in the same organization or elsewhere—becomes impaired.
This poses a significant challenge for new or incoming leaders who inherit teams that have been hurt by prior bad leadership. Even if the new leader is highly trustworthy, they may find it difficult to break through the emotional walls employees have built. The workplace dynamic becomes a vicious cycle where broken trust leads to disengaged employees, further complicating the job of the leader and diminishing organizational performance.
Can One Bad Leader Cause Lasting Damage?
It only takes one bad leader to cause significant and sometimes lasting damage. A single, negative experience with leadership can lodge deeply in an employee’s mind, altering their view of themselves and their ability to trust leaders. For example, an overly critical remark or a micromanaging boss can trigger long-term self-doubt, leading employees to hold back on creativity, initiative, or open communication.
In some cases, the damage builds over time. Repeated instances of poor leadership—whether it’s being ignored, overlooked for promotions, or continually micromanaged—slowly chip away at an employee’s confidence and engagement. Even though these injuries are psychological, they can feel just as real and painful as physical harm.
Yet, leadership injuries don’t have to be permanent. While the psychological effects can be deep-rooted, recovery is possible. Employees can heal from these injuries by addressing their experiences, reframing their beliefs, and rebuilding their ability to trust leaders. This process requires time, self-awareness, and often external support from mentors, counselors, or new, trustworthy leaders.
The Ripple Effect: How Leadership Injuries Harm Organizations
The consequences of bad leadership extend beyond individual employees to impact the entire organization. One of the most visible outcomes is disengagement. When employees feel unsupported or mistreated by leadership, they are less likely to fully invest in their work. This disengagement manifests in what is now commonly referred to as "quiet quitting"—when employees remain in their jobs but stop going above and beyond. They do the bare minimum to collect a paycheck, but they’ve mentally checked out.
A 2023 Gallup survey found that employee engagement remains alarmingly low, with only 23% of employees reporting that they are fully engaged at work. Meanwhile, 59% fall into the category of "quiet quitters." This disengagement results in reduced productivity, lower creativity, and a decline in overall organizational performance. Moreover, disengaged employees can spread dissatisfaction among their peers, creating a toxic work environment that is difficult to reverse.
Organizations that fail to address these issues may face high turnover rates, as employees leave in search of healthier, more supportive work environments. Worse, leadership injuries can linger even after the problematic leader has left, as the emotional wounds caused by bad leadership are slow to heal.
Identifying Leadership Injuries: Actions That Cause Harm
Leadership injuries can be caused by both direct actions and subtle neglect. Common harmful behaviors include:
Public criticism or humiliation: When leaders criticize employees in front of others, it can severely damage confidence and trust.
Micromanagement: Constantly monitoring and controlling an employee’s every move sends the message that the leader doesn’t trust their abilities, leading to frustration and disengagement.
Lack of recognition: When employees work hard but aren’t acknowledged, it can feel like their efforts don’t matter, which leads to disillusionment.
Withholding support: Failing to provide the necessary resources or guidance for an employee to succeed can leave them feeling set up for failure.
These negative behaviors signal to employees that their leader doesn’t respect or value them, which in turn erodes trust. But not all leadership injuries are the result of intentional wrongdoing; sometimes, they stem from miscommunication or a lack of awareness about what employees need.
Healing and Preventing Leadership Injuries
While leadership injuries can be severe, they are not irreversible. Healing begins with acknowledging the harm done and addressing the root causes. Open communication between leaders and employees is essential for understanding the specific issues at hand and for rebuilding trust. Leaders can prevent further damage by being more attentive to the needs of their teams, offering autonomy, recognizing accomplishments, and maintaining transparency.
In cases where employees have been deeply injured by leadership, a structured recovery process is necessary. This process may involve counseling, mentorship, or leadership coaching, as well as organizational changes to ensure that future leaders are selected based on their ability to lead effectively, not just their technical skills.
Conclusion: The Path to Trustworthy Leadership
Bad leadership can have far-reaching consequences for both employees and organizations. Leadership injuries erode trust, reduce engagement, and harm productivity. However, with the right focus on leadership development, open communication, and a commitment to healing, these injuries can be repaired, and organizations can cultivate a culture of trust and resilience.
The key takeaway is that leadership must be treated as a profession that requires continuous growth and self-awareness. By understanding and preventing leadership injuries, organizations can create healthier work environments where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Want to see the whole story? See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPKPA6-8zXo
Want to hear the whole story? Listen to the podcast episode at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s15e2-when-trust-breaks-leadership-injuries-and-the/id1569249060?i=1000672207272
Dr. Yoram Solomon is an expert in trust, employee engagement, teamwork, organizational culture, and leadership. He is the author of The Book of Trust, host of The Trust Show podcast, a three-time TEDx speaker, and facilitator of the Trust Habits workshop and masterclass that explains what trust is and how to build trust in organizations. He is a frequent speaker at SHRM events and a contributor to HR.com magazine.
The Book of Trust®, The Innovation Culture Institute®, and Trust Habits® are registered trademarks of Yoram Solomon. Trust Premium™, the Relative Trust Inventory™, and The Trust Show™ are trademarks of Yoram Solomon.
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