Question

How can a person tell if he or she is psychologically susceptible to following a toxic leader?

Answer 1

• There are certain people who are just conformers,and lack the capability to think critically which is because of low self evaluations,i.e not being confident in their own abilities which makes them suspectible followers to toxic leadership.
• When there are thereatening situations,most commonly such people defer responsibility on the authority figure,since they are not completely sure of what to do,so they would show conformity to authority's decisions,and even show less remorse for immoral behaviour,because they are following the leader's orders.The rationale behind this suspectibility is that the leader is responsible for the immoral acts and not the followers.
• Some people have certain unmet needs,which could basic physiological or psychological needs,like food,financial security etc. which also makes them follow toxic leadership.
• Some people also have low levels of maturity,they have an underdeveloped sense of identity and sense of self which makes them accept group identity,i.e agree with the group decisions blindly which makes them suspectible followers to toxic leadership.It becomes easy to manipulate such people to follow.
• Also the larger the group,there is more diffusion of responsibility which becomes even more enhanced when th group is lead by a charismatic leader who could singly handedly motivate the entire group to engage in immoral behaviour without any remorse.Individuals having low psychological maturity and being externally focused rather than seeking meaning internally are at a greater risk to succumb to such toxic leadership.