Am I the toxic leader?

Erica Kesse

Am I the Toxic Leader? A Guide to Self-Reflection and Growth

As a leader, it's important to be aware of the potential for toxic leadership in your professional and personal life. However, it's also important to be aware of the potential for toxic behavior within ourselves. As an executive assistant, an administrator, a member of an executive team, or a mompreneur, it's important to reflect on our own leadership style and ask ourselves the question, "Am I the toxic leader?"

The first step in answering this question is to understand the characteristics of toxic leadership. This might include traits like manipulation, deceit, and control, or specific behaviors like bullying, harassment, and discrimination. It's important to be aware of these red flags and to know what we won't tolerate in ourselves or in a work environment.

It's also important to investigate our own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. A healthy leader will be able to manage their stress, have a good work-life balance, maintain healthy relationships, and take care of their mental and physical health. It's important to take the time to reflect on our own well-being and see if there are any areas that need improvement.

One important step in self-reflection is doing our own self-work. This includes identifying our own personal biases and blind spots, examining our own thought patterns and behaviors, and actively working to improve ourselves. Seeking mentoring, coaching, and counseling for ourselves can also be beneficial in this process.

As you reflect on your own leadership style and ask yourself the question, "Am I the toxic leader?" remember that growth is a process. It's okay to challenge ourselves and to make mistakes along the way. Joining communities like the Transformational Leadership Community on Facebook, where you can connect with other like-minded individuals who understand the importance of self-reflection and growth, can also be beneficial.

In conclusion, It is important to reflect on our own leadership style and ask ourselves the question, "Am I the toxic leader?" Leadership should do no harm, and it is important to understand the characteristics of toxic leadership vs healthy leadership. It is important to investigate our own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. It is important to do our own self-work, seek mentoring, coaching, and counseling for ourselves, and remember that growth is a process. Joining communities like the Transformational Leadership Community on Facebook, where you can connect with other like-minded individuals who understand the importance of self-reflection and growth, can also be beneficial.

The 3 Flows of Leadership: Why Upward Communication is Non-Negotiable

By Erica Kesse • October 24, 2025
Effective leadership demands a holistic approach to internal communication, recognizing its multidimensional framework. This system is defined by three distinct flows - Upward, Downward, and Lateral, each serving a specific, vital function that directly impacts productivity and profit. For the CEO, understanding and nurturing the Upward Flow is non-negotiable. Downward: The Direction Flow (Necessary, But Insufficient) Downward communication (from leadership to subordinates) is essential for delegation and distributing information. However, an organization dominated by this top-down approach quickly becomes rigid and unresponsive. True leadership understands that direction must be balanced by receptivity. Upward: The Innovation and Mental Health Flow The Upward Flow is the pulse check of the organization. It's the vital mechanism that allows employees to surface problems, share innovative ideas, and provide crucial feedback. When the CEO and their leadership team actively cultivate and respond to upward communication, two things happen: 1. Innovation: Valuable, ground-level insights are integrated into strategic planning. 2. Mental Health: Employees feel heard, increasing their sense of value and reducing stress, which directly supports their **mental health** and boosts morale. Lateral: The Agility Flow Finally, Lateral communication enables cross-functional collaboration, ensuring departments are aligned on goals. When all three flows are healthy and efficient, the organization operates like a sophisticated nervous system, maximizing its responsiveness and overall vitality. The success of the modern CEO and their leadership team depends on maintaining a strategic balance across all three flows. However, the health and resilience of the entire enterprise hinge on a continuous, valued, and non-negotiable stream of communication flowing up the hierarchy.

The Communication Blueprint: What Every CEO Needs for Organizational Agility

By Erica Kesse • October 17, 2025
The organizational destiny of any modern enterprise is directly tied to the efficiency of its internal communication system. For the modern CEO, building a robust communication framework is not about mandate—it’s about survival in a dynamic market. Formal vs. Informal: The Strategic Balance A key part of the communication blueprint is understanding the interplay between formal and informal channels. Formal communication (reports, official emails) provides structure, clarity, and accountability. However, the social fabric of the organization, the trust and agility required for quick problem-solving is built through informal communication. The CEO must ensure leadership fosters a strategic balance, preventing an over-reliance on rigid, top-down structures that stifle valuable feedback. Lateral Communication and Innovation Organizational agility relies heavily on Lateral/Horizontal Communication—the flow of information between peers and across departments. When silos exist, innovation dies. Effective leadership must facilitate this cross-functional collaboration to ensure knowledge sharing and joint problem-solving. This efficient flow is crucial for driving productivity and ensuring the organization can respond quickly to market shifts. The CEO’s Human-Centric Mandate The path to a thriving workforce begins with an unwavering commitment to communication excellence, which requires specific skills from the CEO and the leadership team. This includes active listening, strategic channel selection, and maintaining radical transparency. This culture, which also supports employee mental health, positions the organization as a responsive, unified entity ready to meet market demands. The CEO acts as the architect of the communication ecosystem. By strategically balancing formality, facilitating lateral flow, and practicing transparent leadership, the organization gains the agility and resilience needed for sustainable growth.

The CEO's Secret Weapon: Why Strategic Communication is the Ultimate Leadership Tool

By Erica Kesse • October 3, 2025
Effective communication is not a soft skill your organization can treat as optional; it is the organizational nervous system that dictates its health, agility, and competitive viability. For every CEO, viewing communication strategically is the single most important leadership tool for driving profitability and corporate culture. A breakdown in communication is a silent profit killer. Data shows that poor information flow leads to measurable financial costs: high employee turnover, lost productivity, and damaged brand reputation. A CEO committed to communication excellence essentially adopts a powerful risk management strategy, ensuring that instructions, expectations, and goals are clearly understood, preventing costly confusion and frustration. Upward Communication: Empowering Leadership While delegation is necessary, true leadership thrives on the information that flows upward. Upward communication from a direct report to the executive team is vital. It allows employees to share innovative ideas, surface problems before they escalate, and, crucially, feel a valuable sense of being heard. A CEO who fosters this flow cultivates innovation and avoids being blindsided by internal issues. Fostering a Resilient Workforce There is a direct correlation between clear communication and employee well-being. When leadership ensures clarity and accountability, and when employees feel their input is valued, stress and confusion are reduced. This sense of psychological safety directly supports employee mental health and cultivates a resilient workforce. Ultimately, the tone for this thriving, communicative culture must be set by the CEO. Strategic communication is a prerequisite for organizational success. The commitment of the CEO to this framework is what turns an average company into an agile, profitable enterprise.
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