The Cost of an Alpha-Leader

Liz Dadanian

The world is full alpha-leaders. These are people who get to the top because they are ambitious at the cost of all else. They tend to excel at company politics, are ultra-competitive, and never seem to notice or care about the collateral damage left in their wake. Alpha-leaders rely on overt bullying and passive aggressive behaviors to coerce or manipulate others into supporting their agenda. We’ve all met the type. They take every opportunity to assert their power and authority over you. If they’re having a bad day, it’s fine to yell at you or embarrass you publicly. If it is in their self-interest, they will withhold relevant information, prevent you from having a life, and then throw you under the bus. Fragile egos make it hard for them to handle any bad news or feedback. They expect absolute loyalty from you, but reserve the right to dismiss you at their whim. Don’t expect to get any credit or appreciation because you are, after all, not as great as they are – it’s okay, it’s not your fault that you’re only average.

As outrageous as it is, businesses tend to love their alpha-leaders. Maybe it’s because the alpha-leader exudes power and isn’t shy about touting how much they’ve contributed to the company’s financial results. Our prevailing culture does tend to forgive bad behavior if the money is rolling in. There is also a type of quid pro quo mindset that allows for the poor treatment of a person as long as you are compensating them. The piece of the equation that usually gets missed is the high toll these alpha-leaders take on the spirit of an organization. Employees who work for these leaders start hating their jobs, stop coming up with new ideas, find creative reasons to miss work, become less productive, experience more stress, and eventually get lulled into a never-ending state of going along to get along. According to a 2016 Gallup research study, this lack of employee engagement costs businesses between $450-500 billion a year in lost productivity. That alone seems like a strong enough case for change, but there are other reasons to change as well. If getting rid of bad leaders can save businesses such a high price tag, one has to wonder about the lost opportunity cost of not having an inspired leader in the alpha’s place.

Leaders who care about building strong relationships, supporting their teams, and recognizing others will always elevate culture. While these environments easily attract and retain top talent, the more important fact is that great cultures create opportunities for people to thrive. Employees who are genuinely valued and cared for as full human beings reward their leaders with engagement, innovation, trust, and loyalty. When an individual knows their worth to the organization, they are set up to fully participate on inspired teams who believe in their collective power and deliver awe-inspiring results.

How much do you think that’s worth?