Discussion: Dysfunctional Leaders

Discussion: Dysfunctional Leaders

It is not uncommon to encounter leaders who are dysfunctional in some way. Leader dysfunction may arise from specific personality traits, distorted thinking, destructive patterns of behavior, or all of the above. In some cases, coaching is an appropriate response to leader dysfunction; in other cases, referring the leader to a therapist is best. Coaches must know when to draw the line.

In this Discussion, you will consider different types of leader dysfunction, the causes of the dysfunctions, and whether coaching is an appropriate response.

To Prepare:

• Read the articles “The Dark Triad and Workplace Behavior,” “Abusive Supervision,” “Coaching the Toxic Leader,” and “Leadership Illusions: Important Implications for Leaders and Training and Coaching Leaders.” Think about different types of leadership dysfunction, how to identify the dysfunction, and how it manifests within an organizational context.
• View the media resource, “Assessing Readiness for Coaching.” Consider examples of when coaching is not an appropriate solution.
• Identify a leadership dysfunction of interest to you. Consider the causes of the dysfunction and whether coaching is an appropriate intervention.

By Day 3

 Briefly describe the leadership dysfunction you selected. Explain the possible causes of the leadership dysfunction and the negative effects on individuals, teams, and organizations. Finally, explain the degree to which the dysfunction could be successfully addressed through coaching and why or why not. Be specific.