Leadership: the good, the bad and the ugly

Leadership is a multifaceted role that significantly influences the culture and dynamics of a team. In the initial stages of a leadership team being understood, their functionality as a team, their unity and their consistency are all being assessed – people want to know if they can trust their leadership team to steer them in the right direction. One crucial aspect of effective leadership is how individuals handle negativity within their teams. It is crucial to have a secure, solid culture being modelled routinely by all, so when it comes to managing negativity, a leader needs to be aware of three things: an Absorber, an Enabler, or a Fueler.

The Absorber

The Absorber is a leader who possesses the ability to absorb negativity for the greater good of the team and its culture. This leader is resilient and understands that challenges are inevitable. Instead of deflecting blame or passing on negativity, the Absorber takes it upon themselves to shield their team members from unnecessary stress. By doing so, they create a positive environment where team members feel supported and motivated to overcome obstacles. The Absorber listens and then helps navigate to the root of the concerns, offering advice, positivity and constructive next steps.

With leaders like this, it’s fundamental to have a support mechanism within the leadership team that allow all to carefully offload the absorption, dealing with anything significant strategically.

The Enabler

Moving along the spectrum is the Enabler, a leader who, consciously or unconsciously, allows negativity to persist within the team. This leader may be passive in addressing conflicts, turning a blind eye to toxic behavior, or avoiding difficult conversations. While the Enabler may believe they are maintaining a semblance of peace, their lack of intervention can lead to a toxic work environment. Over time, this may erode trust and collaboration among team members, hindering overall productivity and success. This significantly compromises the integrity of leadership and creates chinks in the armour.

The Fueler

And at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, The Fueler represents the toxic side of leadership, actively contributing to negativity within the team. This leader may engage in gossip, foster a culture of blame, or intentionally create divisions among team members. This is not always done with the intent to target leaders but a shallow, misguided way of trying to relate or connect. This is a false correlation of connecting with the view they’ll be more favoured, listen to and in turn, respected. But in truth, by dropping such standards results in jeopardy for this supposed professional.
The Fueler not only damages the team’s morale but also tarnishes its long-term success. Their actions can lead to increased turnover, decreased productivity, and a general sense of discontent among team members.

Effective leadership involves proactivity and the delicate task of managing negativity when it arises within a team. The Absorber, the Enabler, and the Fueler represent three distinct approaches to handling challenges and conflicts. Leaders who absorb negativity foster a positive culture, while enablers risk allowing toxicity to fester. Fuelers, on the other hand, actively contribute to a detrimental work environment. Recognising and understanding these attributes can help individuals develop the self-awareness necessary to cultivate positive leadership qualities and contribute to the success of their teams.