Is It My Leadership Style or My Company's Culture?
Posted on June 19, 2025 by Jennifer Duggan, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Struggling in a leadership role? Learn how to tell if it’s you or your company—and what to do to grow your leadership skills or escape a toxic culture
Have you ever thought… “Maybe I’m just not cut out for leadership?”
If you’re doubting yourself as a leader, you’re not alone. A lot of my coaching clients come to me feeling like they are the problem—only to realize the real issue is the environment they’ve been thrown into.
The truth? A bad company culture will make even the best leaders question themselves.
And it doesn’t help that leadership training is practically nonexistent these days. Many companies aren’t investing in developing their managers, which means you’ve got people leading teams with zero guidance or experience.
So, before you spiral into self-doubt, let’s break it down:
Signs It’s Your Company (Not You)
If most of these sound familiar, the issue might not be you—it’s the culture you’re working in:
Your company provides little to no leadership training. You were promoted into management, but no one actually taught you how to lead.
The environment is reactive, not proactive. You’re constantly putting out fires instead of being given the space to develop and grow your team.
There’s no clear vision or expectations. You’re left to figure things out with little guidance, and leadership above you isn’t aligned.
Toxicity is the norm. High turnover, low morale, a lack of psychological safety—if the company’s values don’t match their actions, it’s hard to lead effectively.
You feel like leadership is impossible here. If every attempt to lead is met with resistance, lack of support, or mixed messages, you might be in a system that sets leaders up to fail.
Signs You Might Need to Grow as a Leader
On the other hand, there are some areas where you might need to develop. Leadership is a skill, and nobody is perfect at it from day one. Here’s how to know if you have room to grow:
You avoid difficult conversations. If you hesitate to address performance issues or set boundaries, this is an area to work on.
Delegation is hard for you. If you struggle to trust your team or take too much on yourself, that’s a common leadership challenge.
You’re unsure how to coach and develop people. Leadership isn’t just about managing tasks—it’s about helping your team grow.
You don’t have a leadership philosophy. Strong leaders have a guiding approach to how they manage, communicate, and make decisions.
You’ve received feedback—whether direct or subtle—that your leadership approach needs work. Maybe a mentor, peer, or team member has pointed something out, or you’ve picked up on shifts in team dynamics. If you sense something is off, it’s worth a deeper look.
What to Do About It
If it’s the company
If your organization isn’t setting leaders up for success, recognize what’s not in your control. You can still develop as a leader—but if the culture is actively toxic, it may be time to consider your options.
If it’s you
If you see areas where you can grow, invest in yourself! Read books, find a mentor, or work with a coach. Your company should train you, but many don’t—so don’t wait for permission to develop yourself.
