"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time" Maya Angelou
Toxicity in the workplace acts like an infectious disease - it spreads and infiltrates teams and relationships, Without the understanding, skills and tools applied intentionally, toxicity will continue to spread eventually impairing the organization and burning out the leaders and staff.
In some organizations, toxicity has a seemingly intractable hold on the culture - its rampant. In other organizations it is more covert, but no less debilitating to the organization and the people.
People who would not normally exhibit toxic behaviour begin reacting to the toxicity of others in ways that are negative and harmful to productivity and relationships. This is the beginning of a downward spiral. Toxicity feeding off toxicity. Good people will leave the team and organization.
Toxic behaviours won't go away if they are ignored. They will fester.
Specific and intentional action is the only way to counter toxicity. There are skills and tactics that will work once the underlying behaviours are identified and understood.
Only by learning how to identify toxic behaviours and developing a specific plan to confront and incapacitate them, will the workplace become safe and harmonious.
Michael Healey Since 1987 he has been consulting with businesses and organizations that understand the value of developing organizational culture and their people as a foundation for continual improvement and enhancing organizational capacity.
From large multi-national to entrepreneurial organizations, government and NGO's, and across the spectrum of executive, senior managers, supervisors and staff