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6 in 10 workers say they have a toxic boss, study finds
(www.fastcompany.com)
Worker here. Can confirm.
The average corporate environment essentially rewards anti-social behavior. The people who get promoted into "leadership" are rarely the best ones for the job.
They're often people who ruthlessly pursue power at any cost or "yes men/women" who excel only at ass kissing. Those two types often go hand in hand and they are both highly destructive in their own ways.
Generally speaking, the corporate world is motivated only by greed and does not value good leadership. Companies with good leadership are not able to sustain severely overinflated stock prices.
On one hand I am the boss. But on the other I have no employees. While on the third hand I AM toxic. And the fourth hand is shooting some craps right now.
One of the reasons I've stuck with my current job for so long is because my direct manager is the best boss I've ever had, and I'm well aware that's hard to find. I just hope he doesn't leave before I do, whenever that may be.
Same. I'd sooner give up a promotion or a pay rise than a good manager who actually does balance the business vs worker bullshits well.
I have a great boss and have been praised by my staff. I’m really happy to work in academia.
The power makes "bosses" "toxic" by default.
Neurologically.
There are some great studies using brain scans that show when you give people extra privileges, even in limited contexts like games, the empathy centers of the brain are supressed and show weaker activity.
Higher status individuals regularly fail to read emotions as well as lower status people do. Brain scans also show that power makes your resource reward centers more active and makes you less able to regulate these kind of impulses.
Power makes humans cruel, selfish, greedy and impulsive. It's how human brains work. Heirarchy and justice are mutually exclusive.
this post was submitted on 04 May 2026
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
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- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
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