How and Why Overconfident Male CEOs Destroy Companies

It's good to see that more and more attention is being paid to issues regarding toxicity in the workplace. At the same time, people have started to wise up to the problems related to gender differences and the extra divide that comes from that direction. There has been a lot of research on the topic too, and one particular trend has started to materialize lately: it's becoming more and more clear that some men in high positions of authority have a tendency to let that power go to their heads, and they subsequently end up undermining the performance of their entire operations and let their businesses run into red.

Toxic behavior is not limited to low-ranking employees, rather it is quite on the contrary. Research from the Harvard Business Review, has shown that men, of a CEO position, tend to be more prone to developing and displaying such behavior. There have been instances of overconfidence from higher-ups resulting in the ruin of entire organizations, as shown by the latest research from Company Rescue which tell us that UK SMEs with men on the board are more likely to go bust. So how do we resolve this issue?

It's a very complicated problem to address in the first place because it spans across multiple areas of the organization and requires a good approach to all of them. It's important to have good communication with the company's leadership, ensure that there are adequate channels for voicing concerns, and even then, you'll still have to deal with the problem that overconfident people tend to have issues with being confronted in the first place.

Don't be surprised if your feedback falls on deaf ears – it's an expected part of doing this. Be prepared to take some harsh measures as well. If you realize that the company is beyond saving, talk to insolvency practitioners, such as Company Rescue, to ensure that you have a smooth exit. They can give expert advice to guide you through the process.

It's a good idea for an organization to know how to identify these patterns before they turn detrimental. From doing this, the toxic behavior can be addressed at its root instead of letting it fester. Ensure that employees have some way of reporting issues on this front. For example, if women have a problem tied to gender imbalance. Whenever an issue is identified, make sure to act on it as fast as possible. In this scenario, perhaps hiring more women could help?

All in all, overconfidence in the workplace rarely leads to anything productive. Dealing with it requires a determined approach and you must be prepared to face some resistance along the way. To maximise your company's chance of survival in the long run, ensure to pay attention to these issues and resolve them as soon as possible.