Dismantling the Supervisors Toxic Right of Passage

November 28, 2020 by Mike Davis – Founder Archangel Professional Leadership

Statements like, “Try not to forget where you came from” or “Don’t forget about the little guys” are usually the first things new supervisors hear along with words of congratulations and a flat toned “good luck, you are going to need it”  These statements come from their peers and people they generally formed friendships with when they were line workers.  When being welcomed to the supervisory role the administration uses statements like, “welcome to the team” and “welcome aboard” as if they are joining a whole new organization.  In many cases, there seems to be a clear division of the organization between administrators and line workers.  As the new supervisor comes to the realization that they are making a transition from the role of line worker to administrator there is a time period in which the new supervisor must make a decision.  ‘What was I thinking?  I hated the way my old boss treated me.” 

The new supervisor will find him or herself having a series of internal conversations during a transitional period that can cause a type of identity crisis.  While the new supervisor often wants to be true to the line workers on the team and an agent of positive change for the organization as a whole, every organization has its own culture.  There may be problems with the leadership on the top tier(s) of the organization or within the structural tiers depending on the size of the organization and a series of other factors.

One major problem with many organizations is the division of administration vs everyone else.  If an organization has a “do as I say not as I do” or “because I am the boss and I said so” or “I can fire you anytime I feel like” supervisory style then the culture is what I call a “Right of Passage Authoritarian Style” of supervision.  Why would anyone want to be in that role unless the job is building nuclear bombs?  Perhaps it’s the money, benefits, or simply earning the right to be an authoritarian “A-hole” who gets to “boss everyone around.”  If the new supervisor wants to be the latter then congratulations on the promotion A-hole you don’t need to read the rest of this article.

Unfortunately, this toxic Right of Passage Authoritarian Style takes time to dismantle because it is handed down as people promote up and they embrace the “if you can’t beat them join them” attitude.  It creates a culture and a divide between the administration in which subordinates actually fear their supervisors.  If line workers are not exposed to any other leadership methods then they might actually believe that this is the best way to supervise.  Lineworkers actually buy into it or reject it making statements like, “I can’t wait to be in charge so I can tell others how to do their job” or the opposite, “I’m never going to be like my jerk of a boss when I promote.”  At some point line workers promote and even though some of them never intend to become part of this toxic culture, they don’t know any better and they begin to solve problems the same way they knew their old bosses solved them.  Not only that but when they serve in the new role they come to find out that other administrators have expectations of them and they want them to be “team players.”  They may have been part of this culture for an even longer time and they rule through intimidation because it works for them.  So, what does the new supervisor do to dismantle this culture?

It is the small things that count.  Most organizations have a divide between administration and line workers due to lack of communication and by selfishly taking credit for the work of others.  There is no need to tell people how to do their jobs, it’s often a matter of telling them what needs to be done and allowing them to do it while mentoring and publicly recognizing their good work.  The first task of the new supervisor is to recognize the toxic leaders and remaining black and white around them.  The venom that toxic supervisors use in gaining control and compliance is summed up in one simple word, “emotion.”  By standing firm around these toxic peers they might believe that the new supervisor is just rigid enough not to allow them to use their venomous tactics to influence or to intimidate the new supervisor.  When you remove their ability to manipulate emotion and you focus on work you don’t undermine them, you ignore it, you remain focused on people and work and they tend to stay in their own lane.  Over time the new supervisor will gain attention for showing measurable team performance.  If they maintain clear lines of communication with their subordinates, mentor future leaders, and offer recognition at all levels by problem-solving in use of various professional leadership methods they will draw attention.  At times unwanted attention in the form of emotion brought on by the toxic leaders who become jealous that a new supervisor is showing better performance than they are.

It’s a tough decision to make during a transition period but the new supervisor needs to invest in leadership training, read everything leadership, and know that there are other people who have succeeded in solving similar problems by using proven professional methods.  The new supervisor needs to commit to being someone worth following without the use of emotion, manipulation, threats, and they need to walk the walk and talk the talk.  It is a journey worth taking and the new supervisor can actually affect change in a culture that blends administration with line workers to develop leadership and performance at every level.  Mentorship will be a constant task for the new supervisor.  It takes courage and time but even toxic leaders can measure success through performance and if the new supervisor’s performance outweighs the toxic leader, the toxic leaders may need to change their style or leave before they are singled out for their failures.

I need to be clear that this decision could be risky but it is well worth the challenge.  Good leaders have been fired, quit their jobs, and unfortunately, some organizations are so toxic that the culture continues on.  So, when the opportunity presents itself to promote and the line workers are congratulating you, I say in a sincere and motivating voice “Good luck!”  You will have an internal conversation to remind yourself why you are there and tell yourself that you won’t forget where you came from, you will not forget about the little guys, you will treat others better than the way you were treated, you will train, you will read, you will mentor, you will walk the walk, and you will recognize them as a team in one organization.