Toxic Managers

How could you define a toxic manager?

Have you ever had one?
What are the disadvantages of having this kind of manager?
Can you think of any advantages?

Before reading

1. Read only these eight types of toxic managers on the left and
try to predict in what ways they might be toxic:

The Dictator FORGETFUL

The Drama Queen INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIVITY

The Micromanager EMOTIONAL INCONSISTENCY

The Two-Face ALL TALK

The Loud Mouth TOO INNOVATIVE

The Airhead IRON FIST

The Lone Wolf SHORT-SIGHTED

The Scatterbrain PASSIVE-AGRESSIVE

2. Match each management style with one of their traits on the

right.
You will read an infographic which depicts eight types of toxic managers.

Visit: https://getvoip.com/blog/2016/05/24/toxic-managers/

While reading

3. Read each of the worst traits of toxic manager and suggest ideas
on how to defeat these harmful behaviors. Then read the infographic
suggestions and check if you agree with them.

After reading

4. From your viewpoint, which is the worst toxic trait? Why?

5. How would you feel if you had one of these managers? Would
you put up with their behavior?

6. How would you feel if you were one of these managers and an
employee told you how he / she feels?

7. How easy is it to change some of these traits? Which ones could

and couldn't be changed? Give two examples of each.

8.Think of some personality traits and skills to define a good

manager.

In my experience, a good manager is a

person who / that ...
Focus on language

9. Replace the words or phrases in blue with one of these adjectives

and verbs from the infographic.

devious - flighty - aloof - hasty /ˈheɪ.sti/

- antics .- to gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/- to stifle -

It is the manager's responsability to encourage creativity, not to

supress it.

A changeable manager leads to impulsive, rapid decisions.

Dealing with managers' silly or strange behavior can be really

annoying.

When dealing with a dishonest manager, put together credible

evidence before approaching them.

Detached managers don't usually get involved in teamwork.

It is necessary to measure management performance regularly to

prevent toxic practices in the workplace.

10. Find compound adjectives (e.g. narrow-minded) in the text with

these meanings:

- Not willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different
one's own: ______-________.
- Calm and able to deal easily with difficult situations: _______-_______.
- Behaving in a way that is likely to make them fail or be harmed:
______-____________.
- Not thinking enough about how an action will affect the future:
_________-__________.
Source: Cambridge Dictionary
11. Write two adjectives from the infographic to define each type of
manager in the boxes. Try to use some you didn't know before!

The The Drama The Micro-

Dictator Queen manager

The The Loud

Two- Face 8 types of Mouth
toxic
managers

The The The

Airhead Lone Wolf Scatterbrain

Follow-up activity

12. Choose one of the following tasks:

Write the nineth Type of Toxic Managers. Use the same

structure: General description, Worst traits and How to defeat...
Write one Type of Good Managers. Use a similar structure:
General description, Best traits and What you can learn from
them... or create a third category. Re-read your ideas in 8.

Created by EFL Creative Ideas - Silvina Mascitti

 Teacher's notes
Before reading

1. Answers may vary.

The Dictator IRON FIST

2.
The Drama Queen EMOTIONAL INCONSISTENCY

The Micromanager SHORT-SIGHTED

The Two-Face PASSIVE-AGRESSIVE

The Loud Mouth ALL TALK

The Airhead FORGETFUL

The Lone Wolf INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIVITY

The Scatterbrain TOO INNOVATIVE

While reading

3. Answers may vary.

After reading

All answers in this section may vary. Even though it is not the Focus on
language section or the main purpose of this section, some suggestions to
practice grammar in context include:

4. You can give students some phrases to express opinion, if necessary.

5 and 6 Good opportunity to review second conditional.
7. Good opportunity to review modal verbs and adverbs of possibility.
8. Revision of relative clauses.
Focus on language

9. Replace the words or phrases in blue with one of these adjectives

and verbs from the infographic.

It is the manager's responsability to encourage creativity, not to stifle it.

A flighty manager leads to impulsive, hasty decisions.

Dealing with managers' antics can be really annoying. (Note: always used in
plural)

When dealing with a devious manager, put together credible evidence before
approaching them.

Aloof managers don't usually get involved in teamwork.

It is necessary to gauge management performance regularly to prevent toxic

practices in the workplace.

10. Look for compound adjectives (e.g. narrow-minded) in the text with these
meanings:

- A person who is not willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or
different one's own: close-minded. (Note: closed-minded is also correct)

- Calm and able to deal easily with difficult situations: level-headed.

- Behaving in a way that is likely to make them fail or be harmed: self-destructive.

- Not thinking enough about how an action will affect the future: short-sighted.

11. Answers may vary.

12. Answers may vary.