CupTalks Blog

Why do toxic leaders keep getting promoted? Harmful behavior does not always become a career disadvantage. Organizations may discount its costs, overlook serious complaints, protect leaders who serve powerful sponsors, or mistake coercion for the cause of success. This article examines four pathways through which harmful leaders gain authority and explains why better reporting alone may not change promotion decisions. Preventing their rise requires credible evidence, enforceable standards of conduct, and accountability for those who decide whose results matter and whose suffering gets ignored.