You have spoken in the past about ‘toxic superstars’ at law firms. Can you tell us a bit more about this phenomenon as you have observed it? Toxic superstars, on the one hand, usually hold a senior position; they are top billers, outstanding lawyers, deeply committed to the firm and its clients and are very hard workers. From a KPI perspective, they have a career track record of exceeding metrics. On the other hand, they often lead teams through fear, anger and guilt, which drives a team to perform under chronic stress. Leading with strong negative emotions may work in the short term, but in the long term, it builds a fear-based stress response in employees. Instead of engaging positively with work, an employee’s motivation is driven by the fear of the toxic superstar’s behaviour. Their association with work and the firm culture can become negative. Toxic behaviours also make it difficult for HR and senior leadership to effectively manage because it is difficult to tell someone exceeding every goal that their attitudes and behaviours are suboptimal. More often than not, HR and senior leadership have used most of the tools in their toolbox to address these issues. What damage can this mentality among high earners cause for a firm? Toxic superstars can have a significant impact on the workplace experience. It is an essential factor I see that drives employee burnout and attrition in the workplace. When firms are fighting for top talent, employee attrition and attraction to the firm are key success metrics – especially now that firms need to adjust to new ways of working and are making diversity, equity and inclusion key measures of success. I have seen departments struggle with talent retention and very high rates of turnover due to these behaviors. This has also led to reputational damages, which can be significant. How can leadership training help to address this issue? In my workshops and coaching sessions, I build an understanding of how and why leading with toxic behaviours can negatively impact workplace Do Top Lawyers Make Top Leaders? 58 LAWYERMONTHLYDECEMBER 2022 In her previous Lawyer Monthly spotlights this year, Charlène has discussed the habits of top-achieving lawyers and how their firms can best hone their effectiveness through a focus on self-esteem and wellness. Now, she takes a look at how some high-achievers’ internalisation of negative behaviour can cause harm to their teams and firms if left unaddressed. How can firms act to fix this phenomenon in a way that benefits the whole team? Expert Insight
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