Understanding the Impacts of Toxic Leadership on U.S. Army Junior Officers
Toxic leaders are like tumorous cells to any organization or institution. They can genuinely have a detrimental effect on followers as well as external partners. Studies have shown that leadership is relational, which means leaders must connect with internal and external stakeholders. The purpose of this phenomenological research project is to understand how or if toxic leadership is impacting the professional work-life of Millennial junior officers. The focus of this project is to inform U.S. Army curriculum designers with data needed to develop current and future junior officers. During the data collection process, all the participants reported they had encountered toxic leadership. Each subject also reported they did not receive adequate leadership education or training. Based on this data, the researcher is proposing that the U.S. Army integrate responsible leadership theory in all leadership curricula at the lieutenant through major levels to mitigate the effects of toxic leadership. The U.S. Army should also balance the amount of time given to leadership, technical, and tactical training to ensure young officers comprehend the meaning of being an effective leader. Such training is essential, as young officers are now required to engage more with local politicians and leaders as they work to create secure and stable environments for local communities. These Millennial officers must value negotiation and diplomatic skills. The Army must aggressively work to understand these junior officers and mitigate the impact of toxic leadership as these young officers become leaders in the 21st century.|Keywords: emotional intelligence, Millennials, professional work-life, toxic leader, toxic leadership environment, responsible leader, toxic leadership
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