A Toxic Workplace
It’s a hot topic these days. From the problems at Uber to the damage experienced at a major network, hearing a story of a dysfunctional workplace seems like part of the daily news feed. Indeed, if you sit down with colleagues, almost everyone can tell a story about a bad boss or misplaced priorities in the workplace.
The trick here is knowing how to filter through all of the information you are hearing, or witnessing, and deciding whether the environment is stressful, not the expected norm, or definitely toxic.
We’ve outlined key problems that are often seen in toxic workplaces.
- Major Communication Problems. This is sort of like the “who’s on first” syndrome. When you are in an environment where communication problems are rampant, working together to further the good of the company or organization is extremely difficult. It may start with the director, who may not be communicating properly with his/her supervisors. The next thing you know, supervisors are communicating different stories to their employees. It can even extend to customers, who are given misleading information. It’s also possible that a toxic organization has NO communication – so employees find out about major decisions after they’ve been implemented.
- Leaders Who Only Agree. I once had a boss who really only wanted to hear people agree with her. Any effort at disagreement, or giving another side to an argument, was considered treason. The result was that employees simply shrugged their shoulders when asked to do something. It became easier to comply rather than to face getting fired!
- Employees Who Don’t Care. If employees feel the need to survive, rather than fight, they become apathetic. There is absolutely no interest in setting the record straight or providing another opinion. Instead, employees trudge forward, holding a blind eye and deaf ear to anything that is going on.
- Inconsistent Policies. In this case, depending on who you ask, you get different answers. Companies or organizations who do not have consistent policies often experience chaos – employees decide to do whatever they want!
- Narcissistic Leaders. These types of leaders consider themselves better, brighter and privileged. Rules don’t apply to them. Witness how many leaders you know from history who have made stupid decisions that ruined their careers.
The solution? So what’s our point with this article? It may be that some places are just plain toxic – they were created that way and continue to run that way. But in most cases, a dysfunctional workplace happens over time. It is entirely possible to change the atmosphere of an environment that is leaning toward toxicity. But in most cases, it takes an outside resource to change an environment.
That’s where Leah M. Joppy & Associates can help. We have seminars on diversity, workplace performance and leadership. We can help build trust and integrity within an organization. Give us a call today and let’s discuss your needs.
How Can You Work In A Dysfunctional Environment?
Navigating a toxic workplace takes a strategy! Whether your organization is becoming dysfunctional, or you started a new job and found yourself in an uncomfortable environment, there are things you can do to cope with the situation.
- Focus on what you do. Don’t get involved with the gossip. Don’t take sides. Instead, look at your job as independently as possible and do your best.
- Find friends you can trust. No matter what the situation, it helps to discuss problems. And if you are all doing your best for the organization, you can hold each other accountable for the work being done.
- Stay away from your toxic co-workers. Set yourself apart from the problem. Even if you act as an advocate to someone who is part of the problem, you become part of it yourself. Have the conviction to keep your distance.
- Work in a vacuum. While this is the opposite of what we really should be doing, if you tune out the problematic behaviors surrounding you, you are better off.
- Be part of the solution, not the problem. Set an example for those around you and excel in your job.
- Make a decision. If all else fails, if you’ve tried to change the environment and you don’t see any progress, you may have to change jobs. It’s not something we want to do, but sometimes, for our own health, it’s a decision we have to make.