High toxicity leadership

Purpose – This paper aims to assess highly toxic personality disorders in leaders, implications for organizations, and methods for assessment and intervention. Design/methodology/approach – Action research was used, including a thick description case study narrative and application of the DSM IV‐TR. Findings – Personality disorders are a source of a highly toxic and dysfunctional organizational behavior; borderline personality disorder in a leader may serve as a systemic contaminant for an organization. Research limitations/implications – A qualitative, case study approach may not lend itself to replication or quantification; usage of the DSM IV‐TR requires clinical training in counseling psychology; the growing incidence of personality disorders in leadership warrants cognizance, ability to assess, the creation of early detection systems and methods of intervention. Practical implications – Through the narrative of a case study researchers and practitioners can obtain a glimpse into the day‐to‐day operations and nuances of a highly toxic leader and how it impacts an organization; interventions and solutions are provided. Originality/value – This paper calls attention to highly toxic leadership and organizational dysfunction by investigating borderline personality disorder as a prototype.