Is Constructive Discharge a Metaphor for a “Boy Named Sue”? The Remedial Role of Psychological Safety When Leadership Is Toxic

This paper uses the metaphor of “A Boy Named Sue” to explore resilience and conflict resolution within the workplace, focusing on how toxic leaders sabotage employees. It delves into the practice of constructive discharge, where leaders, instead of directly addressing performance issues, create hostile environments, pushing employees to resign. We examine how leaders gatekeep and undermine employees’ inputs to induce resignations without explicit dismissal. The literature shows that toxic leaders sabotage environments, create ethical dilemmas, power imbalances, and organizational dysfunction. Our review of the literature provides methods to mitigate destructive leadership practices, helping managers use psychological safety measures to foster more inclusive and supportive workplace environments. We present six recommended corrective actions managers can take to reduce the harm caused by toxic leaders.