Impact of aggression on team trust

Aggression is a form of violence, and it is not a trait associated with good leadership; it is a trait associated with toxic individuals and toxic cultures. There is no place for aggression at work or anywhere else, for that matter. Employees deserve to work in a safe environment. In fact, contrary to what some may believe, human beings cannot be productive and thrive in aggressive, violent and toxic environments. When confronted with aggression, employees will feel stressed, anxious, and fearful. Their energy will be spent defending themselves, and their cognitive functions will not be optimal as they will focus more on avoiding aggression than work. Aggression in leadership is a trait associated with toxic, abusive, and tyrannical leaders. Although these leaders may think they are making their teams more effective, they are actually making them sick, and sick employees are not productive in the long run. Some leaders believe being aggressive (yelling at employees, threatening their jobs, and belittling them) will increase their productivity and loyalty. It will not. Good leadership is not about power but about supporting employees to help them reach their goals. Good leadership is not about making the leader shine but allowing their people to shine. Research shows that to increase productivity, leaders must offer support, listen to their needs, set clear objectives, recognize their work, create trust, and provide a safe environment. Employees need autonomy to be productive. Autocratic, toxic, and tyrannical leaders who thrive on control and power cannot make employees more productive; all they achieve is making them sick. These toxic leaders probably don't care about making their employees sick; they enjoy being feared and believe it is a sign of success. These leaders not only tolerate aggressivity, harassment and incivility in the workplace, they encourage it. They create an environment where people are scarred and worried to gain more power. Aggression is a trait associated with individuals presenting narcissistic and psychopathic traits; it is not a sign of strength in leadership. We need to continue raising awareness of what constitutes good leadership within organizations if we want to create healthy and safe workplaces. Take care of yourself and the people around you 💗

“He thought aggression = leadership. He was wrong.” The country head walked into the room like a storm. Voice loud, footsteps heavy, eyes sharp enough to cut. In meetings, he snapped at juniors. “That’s a stupid idea.” “Don’t waste my time.” “Just do what I say.” Every word landed like a whip crack. At first, people obeyed out of fear. But slowly, the air in the office grew heavy—silence in corridors, fake nods in meetings, ideas swallowed before they were spoken. I still remember one meeting. A young manager, clutching her notepad with sweaty palms, tried to contribute: “Sir, what if we—” Before she could finish, he cut her off: “Not useful. Next.” Her face flushed. She sank back into her chair. And with her, ten other unspoken ideas disappeared from the room. Later, in a one-on-one, he told me proudly: “See, I run a tight ship. They know who’s in charge.” That was his vulnerability—he mistook fear for respect, and aggression for authority. I had to hold up the mirror. 👉 “Fear creates compliance. But it kills creativity. You don’t have a tight ship—you have a sinking one.” We started training him in assertive communication—firm, but respectful. • Replacing “That’s stupid” with “Help me understand your logic.” • Practicing listening without interruption. • Learning to challenge ideas without crushing people. At first, he resisted. “This feels too soft,” he said. But slowly, he began to notice the shift. Weeks later, in another meeting, the same young manager spoke up again. This time, he leaned in and said: “Go on. Tell me more.” The room felt different. Shoulders relaxed. Pens moved again. Ideas started flowing. And at the end of the quarter, when his team hit record numbers, he admitted: “I thought respect came from fear. I was wrong. Respect comes from trust.” 🌟 Lesson: Aggression silences. Assertiveness empowers. Fear creates short-term compliance. Respect creates long-term results. Great leaders don’t intimidate their teams. They inspire them. #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipDevelopment #CommunicationSkills #SoftSkills #Assertiveness #Fortune500 #BusinessGrowth #TeamCulture #Leadership

What happens when a boss shouts at a subordinate in public? What is the impact on the subordinate, other employees, the organisation, and the image of the boss? The video of Sanjiv Goenka (the owner of LSG) shouting at K.L. Rahul, the team captain went viral a few days back. It is important for every boss and leader to understand the impact of such an outburst — on the receiving employee, on other employees, on the organization and on their own image. Such outbursts are caused not just by anger, but also by frustration and often a feeling of helplessness. Thus, first and foremost, such an outburst projects the boss as someone who has no control over a situation. And certainly, no self-control. Secondly, the power equation between a boss and subordinate are completely one-sided. The boss holds all the power. Hence, shouting at a powerless person also paints the boss as a bully. The impact on the receiving subordinate? Usually, they don’t have the power in the equation to defend themselves. That results in humiliation, negative impact on self-image, shame, and loss of face. These lead to lack of motivation and disengagement from the larger organizational goal. All other team members watching also go through all the above emotions. Vicariously. Of course, to a smaller extent. Net impact on the team as a whole is one of lowered energy, lack of engagement with the team purpose, and lower team-spirit. All this, because the boss didn’t have the gumption to tackle a difficult situation like an adult instead of melting down like a frustrated child. A good boss would have first of all controlled his disappointment and frustration. Then he would have called the subordinate aside and asked for an explanation for the setback. He would then have pushed the subordinate to come back with an action plan to avoid repetition of the setback. Of course, in a situation such as a cricket game, where the variables involved are vast and most of the variables are to do with softer aspects such as talent, every once in a while, an extreme defeat can happen. A knee jerk reaction isn’t going to solve it. What will work is strong positive leadership, a culture of trust, a team composition that is thought through, and then letting every player perform to their strengths. None of the above can be achieved through shouting in public. Do you agree? #cultureoftrust #leadershiplessons #BoundlessWithRamG  

𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁! Granted, you are proud of yourself that you are in a leadership position. You've worked hard to get where you are. Long hours, tough decisions, sleepless nights. They've all led you to this position of leadership! 💫 And then, without even knowing it, you, → have a dismissive wave of the hand when someone brings up a concern → eyes roll at a suggestion that doesn't align with your vision → the "I know best" attitude that shuts down discussion   𝘖𝘰𝘱𝘴...𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰. 😕 But here’s the thing. When arrogance creeps in, it doesn't just affect you, it ripples through your entire team and maybe even the company. Leaders, arrogance crushes trust faster than you've built it. And you can't afford to let that happen. See for yourself why. ❌ Decreased motivation If you have all the answers, team members will stop putting in the effort, since you don’t value it ❌ Reduced creativity Ideas are less likely to be shared if they're consistently dismissed ❌ Increased turnover Talented team members seek environments where their contributions are valued Leaders, the trust you've built is fragile. It takes time to cultivate and if you’re not aware, it can shatter in an instant. And once it's gone, good luck getting it back. So, how to get trust back when arrogance has creeped in? 🌀 Practice Self-Awareness Check with yourself regularly and reflect. → Are you still listening as intently as you did when you first started? → Are you giving credit where it's due? → Are you open to being wrong? 🌀 Cultivate empathy Empathy bridges gaps that arrogance widens. → Listen to your team members, and make an effort to understand how they feel and what they need → Check regularly if you are understanding your team's concerns from their perspective? 🌀 Encourage open dialogue Trust flourishes when team members know their input is valued, and no suggestion is too small to be heard. → Make sure to invite feedback regularly and reward those who speak up. This openness will reduce the chances of arrogance creeping in and strengthen team cohesion. Leaders don't let arrogance be your downfall! Your team is watching you. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. They see how you handle success, how you treat those who disagree with you, how you respond to challenges. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆! 💫   Happy Weekend Ahead! 🌺

I’ve experienced this firsthand as an employee. Years ago, I worked under a leader who seemed to check all the boxes: ✔️Goal-setting meetings ✔️Regular one-on-ones ✔️Career development conversations. But there was something that eroded all those efforts—a tolerance for toxic behavior. Our team had a toxic member who belittled others, intimidated colleagues, and created an undercurrent of fear. When the team voiced concerns, we were told this person’s performance was “irreplaceable” and that we needed to “find a way to work with them.” The results were predictable—and devastating. 🚫Psychological safety vanished. 🚫Collaboration stalled. 🚫Trust and productivity evaporated. Before long, disengagement spread like wildfire, and you can predict the rest. This lesson is the heart of the Rainforest Team Culture philosophy: 🌱 The behaviors you tolerate define your team’s cultural ecosystem. 🌱 Toxicity isn’t just a productivity issue—it’s a culture killer. 🌱 A thriving culture starts with creating a safe, supportive environment where everyone is held accountable—with kindness. If you're a leader, remember: You’re not just managing performance—you’re stewarding an ecosystem. Your actions shape whether your team thrives or withers. Have you ever dealt with a toxic teammate? How did it impact your team’s culture? What steps have you seen leaders take to foster collaboration, safety, and trust? #leadership #leadershipmatters #culture #multifamily

Leadership isn’t about aggression. There’s a rising trend in today’s leadership culture that glamorizes aggressive behavior—rudeness packaged as decisiveness, control mistaken for strength. We’re seeing more “my way or the highway” styles—and it’s being rewarded. But let’s be clear: this will not end well. Toxic leadership might drive short-term results, but it erodes trust, morale, and the very fabric of a healthy team. Leaders will reap what they sow. The best leaders I know build with empathy, accountability, and clarity. Let’s raise the bar and lead in a way that leaves people better, not bruised.