20/10/2026
Just read a thought-provoking piece by William Furney that dives into Kathleen Saxton's brilliant insights on leadership. 🌟
Saxton, a former executive headhunter and current psychotherapist, highlights a crucial issue: toxic leaders often keep their positions because organisations adapt to their harmful behaviours instead of addressing them. This "architecture of accommodation" means colleagues dance around the problem rather than confront it.
Her powerful statement resonates deeply: "Good leadership enlarges people. Bad leadership, at its darkest, persuades a person, slowly, to disappear." Bad leadership can make individuals retreat, stifling innovation and engagement, while good leadership boosts confidence and autonomy.
For HR professionals, the challenge is to see beyond strong performance metrics and recognise when a culture of silence and apprehension is taking hold. High employee turnover or repeated grievances should send alarm bells ringing. 🛎️
Ultimately, Saxton argues that leadership should be judged by its impact on people. If you're noticing a quieter workforce less willing to challenge ideas, it might be time to look closer at leadership practices. 💼💭
“Good leadership enlarges people. Bad leadership, at its darkest, persuades a person, slowly, to disappear.”