ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to present an organizational change model that proposes a fuller understanding of individual and collective reactions to change, particularly the interplay between leaders, followers and context. It argues that change efforts fail faster and more abruptly when there is a combination of factors: leaders enacting destructive behaviors, followers demonstrating a susceptible stance and the environment facilitating such behaviors. Destructive leaders might take advantage of the context of uncertainty and claim their identity as leaders; while granting followers a more passive role in order to better manage the situation into the direction they desire. The chapter also argues that the toxic triangle elements are not independent of each other and that granting-claiming processes and implicit theories can serve as boundary conditions in the potentially toxic change process. It discusses how these conditions negatively affect change management. The chapter also aims to put forth some strategies that help organizations deal with these negative spirals of toxicity.
