Echoes of dysfunction: a thematic exploration of toxic leadership in higher education

Purpose Numerous studies have examined effective or positive leadership styles and their effects on employees and organizational outcomes. In recent years, toxic leadership has drawn the attention of several organizations, and toxic managers undoubtedly harm an organization’s social, economic and individual quality of life. This study aims to examine academicians’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their immediate leaders in the higher education sector. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative interpretive phenomenological research design was used, and data was analyzed using Clarke & Braun’s thematic analysis method. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 26 teachers from the technical education sector within higher education who had five years or more of experience in the higher education sector. Findings Five themes emerged from the teacher's narratives based on the research questions that were framed with the help of expert opinions and a thorough literature review (“frequency of occurrences,” “outward behavior,” “repercussions,” “coping strategies” and “support mechanisms”). Using the NVIVO 14.0 software, auto-coded themes were generated and corroborated with the findings. The triangulation of outcomes reveals toxic behaviors exhibited by the leaders in universities and colleges, which conforms with the toxic leadership literature. Originality/value This study advances the understanding of the harmful or toxic side of leadership, specifically in the higher education sector. This work advances earlier studies in the field by examining teachers’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their leaders in the higher education sector. The study continues by highlighting areas of toxic leadership research that are yet to be explored in academic literature and are still to be studied.