When Managers Play God: How Toxic Leadership Can Destroy Dreams

🚫 "When Managers Play God: How Toxic Leadership Can Destroy Dreams"

Not all dreams are crushed by failure, some are crushed by people in power who forget they're human too. In some workplaces, schools, or institutions, there are managers and leaders who position themselves as gatekeepers to opportunity. They control access to growth, recognition, and resources, not based on fairness or merit, but based on personal bias, fear, or ego.

When managers play “God,” the results are rarely divine, they’re devastating.

💔 Signs a Manager is Playing God

• They withhold opportunities from those who challenge or outshine them.

• They micromanage and undermine, turning capable staff into insecure shells.

• They punish dissent, stifling innovation and honest dialogue.

• They decide who “deserves” to succeed, often based on personal loyalty, not competence.

🌪️ The Impact on People and Dreams

• Talented employees leave quietly, taking their ideas, energy, and future successes elsewhere.

• Mental health suffers, as people begin to doubt their worth and abilities.

• Dreams shrink, because when your creativity and ambition are consistently dismissed, survival becomes your only goal.

🎯 Why This Behaviour is Dangerous

When managers act like gods instead of guides, they don’t just manage, they manipulate. They:

• Create hostile work cultures.

• Trigger burnout and turnover.

• Sabotage diversity, equity, and innovation.

This kind of leadership doesn't just kill dreams, it kills trust, motivation, and potential.

🔁 What Ethical Leadership Looks Like Instead

• Encouraging ideas, even from junior staff.

• Creating safe spaces for disagreement.

• Promoting based on merit, not favouritism.

• Lifting others without fear of being overshadowed.

✊ Final Thought: You Are Not the Problem

If you’ve been on the receiving end of this kind of toxic management, hear this: your dream is still valid. One person’s ego or bias doesn’t define your ability, your future, or your worth.

At IFCBE, we believe in leadership that lifts, not limits. And we help students and professionals reclaim their voice, purpose, and pathway when systems fail them.

🙏 Thank You for Reading!

We’re so glad you took the time to invest in your growth. At IFCBE, we believe that knowledge is power — but applied knowledge is the real game-changer.

If this helped you, share it with a friend or colleague who’s also working on their career journey. And if you’re ready for more personalised support, resources, or tools — we’re just a message away.

✨ Let’s build your future, together.

📩 Contact us anytime at info@ifcbe.ca
💬 Or explore more at www.ifcbe.ca