Toxic Leadership in Special Forces Units

The purpose of this essay is to address how leaders become toxic after their arrival to SF units and how unit cultures or individuals either correct or contribute to that development. Toxic leaders exist in all organizations and Special Forces units are no exception. Some arrive as toxic leaders and some develop toxic leadership characteristics after joining the Regiment. The Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) does a good job of properly evaluating those leaders who exhibit toxic qualities and either correcting those characteristics or purging those individuals from the course. Those toxic leaders that manage to complete the SFQC and join the SF Regiment, by and large, are identified quickly and through proper evaluation and counseling

Contributing to the survival of toxic unit cultures is what LTG Walter F. Ulmer Jr., in his article Toxic Leadership: What Are We Talking About, describes as a military culture that values cooperation, loyalty and respect for authority. This military culture can make it difficult for a newly arrived soldier to speak out against toxic behavior in his unit. Add to this, pressure from peers and a fear of reprisal, and toxic cultures can exist over long periods of time and poison a large population of soldiers. Though exposure to such units do not always lead to toxic leaders the mere tolerance of these behaviors can result in a lack of trust between members of the organization and have a lasting

Though not easy to alter a culture, the power of one individual who sets the standard for behavior consistent with the Army Values should not be underestimated. It is imperative that this individual establish credibility through consistent exceptional performance. He must then find a way to adequately influence, through effective communication, the identified toxic behavior and provide sound alternatives that are consistent with the roles of a leader in the military. Warrant Officers in SF are in a unique position to influence both officers and enlisted. The Warrant Officer must establish his credibility through performance, but once established, can provide informed advice and feedback to correct toxic behavior. If unable to effect a change in a toxic leader or culture, then informing the chain of command is necessary to ensure the integrity and reputation of the Regiment are not tainted by a toxic leader inside the ranks.

Toxic leaders and unit cultures continue to plague SF units. It is most likely impossible to eliminate all toxicity given human nature. It can be lessened substantially, however, by identifying it through formal counseling, self-improvement based on the influence and advice of others, and corrective action in egregious cases, by the chain of command. There is no one way to prevent toxic leaders from developing in SF and