June 14, 2025, by Jon Hanson, “Ancora Imparo”
Etna Township’s a mess—toxic leadership sends employees running for the hills, morale’s in the gutter, and the taxpayers are bleeding from turnover costs. Employees rarely leave their jobs; they leave toxic and abusive leaders. A company like Training Marbles, which our trustees have chosen not to engage, could provide some clarity to this dumpster fire by utilizing Kotter’s (2008) and Lewin’s (1951) change frameworks to propose a solution and a plan for much-needed change. Leadership drives change, and Etna’s got to swap its venomous vibes for strategies that stabilize the workforce. It’s not just about saving money; it’s about saving sanity and building a community that doesn’t chew up its people.
Leadership styles matter, and Etna’s stuck with the kind that makes you want to scream into a pillow. I first proposed to the board on May 21, 2024, that they had a Toxic Leadership and Bullying problem. It seems many others, not just those who have been personally and legally ($$) attacked by the trustees, are beginning to see the effects of the Toxic Bullying. When your turnover is more than twice the number of employees in the building in a 3-year period, it might be time for the board to admit they have a problem.
Servant and Transformational Leadership, unlike the current reign of terror, fosters trust and collaboration (Jothsna, 2024; Sharifirad, 2013). We should probably look at Transformational Leadership for cues. I’ll be writing more on Transformational Leadership in the months ahead. History has no known instances of Servant Leadership as an operating strategy (ever) as a campaign strategy, yes (I’m fighting for you! etc.).
When your turnover is more than twice the number of employees in the building in a 3-year period, it might be time for the board to admit they have a problem.
The current state of Etna
Transformational and Servant leadership styles go beyond simply acknowledging employees; they empower them to share ideas without the fear of harsh criticism or bullying on social media. By adopting individualized consideration, one of the four I’s of Transformational Leadership, actively listening, and promoting open communication, leaders can transform Etna’s workplace from a battleground into a collaborative productive hub, enhancing morale and driving operational success for both employees and all stakeholders.
Psychological safety is the secret sauce Etna is missing. Transformational Leadership creates a culture where folks can share wild ideas without getting roasted (Yaqoob et al., 2024; Carmeli et al., 2014). It’s about trust, not blame, and letting employees innovate and collaborate freely. Studies show psychological safety drives 47% of creativity variance (Yaqoob et al., 2024), and Etna could use that spark to cut turnover and build a workplace that doesn’t feel like a dystopian novel. Change is possible, but Etna’s leaders need to stop acting like cartoon villains and start inspiring.
References
Carmeli, A., Sheaffer, Z., Binyamin, G., Reiter-Palmon, R., & Shimoni, T. (2014). Transformational leadership and creative problem-solving: The mediating role of psychological safety and reflexivity. Journal of Creative Behavior, 48(3), 192–212. https://doi.org/10.1002/JOCB.43
Jothsna, K. (2024). Psychological safety and employee motivation and flourishing. Indian Scientific Journal of Research in Engineering and Management. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem32546
Kotter, J. P. (2008). A sense of urgency. Harvard Business Press.
Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. Harper & Row.
Sharifirad, M. S. (2013). Transformational leadership, innovative work behavior, and employee well-being. Global Business Perspectives, 1(3), 198–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40196-013-0019-2
Yaqoob, S., Sheraz, S., Mukhtār, M., & Imran, M. (2024). The role of psychological safety in fostering creativity and innovation in the workplace. Review of Education, Administration and Law, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.47067/real.v7i4.396