Instructor Toxicity: Why one bad apple really does spoil the bunch

A dive resort experienced a serious decline in safety due to poor leadership. When an experienced instructor named Mary started, everything seemed ideal. However, once the dive center manager returned from vacation, things changed dramatically. His abusive behavior created an environment of stress and fear, which led to mistakes in diving safety. The importance of psychological safety and accountability in leadership became clear, as the toxic culture caused qualified divers to leave and the resort’s reputation to suffer.