Stop enduring toxic workplaces
Aug 14, 2023
The article Keep winding up in a toxic workplace? by David M. Taffet caught my attention because it brings up a discussion that I sometimes have with my clients as well as with myself, having lived and endured some pretty toxic leaders in my career. There is a general tendency to say that we should just put up with toxic workplaces and people, which to me is just unrealistic.
Have you ever lived with a toxic boss, colleague or workplace? Share your experiences with me, I’d like to hear what you lived and how you addressed it.
Now before I go any further, I do want to clarify my point of view: I am not saying we should just jump and avoid what we are living. I am not saying that we should expect others to make all the changes and not us. I am not saying that we should expect others to resolve our challenges. The intent of this post is to state that sometimes the pattern may come from us and we, as individuals, have to notice this, understand it in ourselves and address it personally as well as with others. We also have the responsibility to share our discomfort with what we are living to help others become aware of their own actions (surprisingly, most are not). Ok, back to the post and the article.
Toxic people and workplaces have an impact on work performance and productivity. It has an impact on your workplace well-being. It also has an impact on your personal well-being. But people need a paycheque. They need to be employed. They need to belong. They need to avoid failure. All of these are some of the reasons we work and endure toxic workplaces. Another reason I have seen people unconsciously find the same types of toxic cultures, leaders and colleagues is because they are familiar to them.
Unfortunately, most people do not recognize what they are living. They have not been informed and even less, trained to understand how to change your current reality or what to look for when exploring new work opportunities. This has to change.
And to add to that, what’s even more interesting is what people say and react to when you realize it and bring it up with them. Often, the sharing of toxic realities is dismissed. Have you ever heard any of these responses?
* Oh, that’s just the way they are. You’ll get used to it…
* Oh, don’t worry too much, it’s not that bad…
* You should see my own workplace and you’ll feel better...
* You should spend a day with my own colleagues, then you’ll appreciate yours...
In other words, what they are living is not really all that bad. We need to modify this type of reaction. And the first step is getting to know yourself and where you are at your best. The more you know you, the more you understand what impacts you and how you can find solutions.
My favorite quote from the article “Enduring toxicity isn’t bragging rights; choosing not to is.”
It is time for us to go beyond the title, job description and mission of an organization/team and start to really explore what has an impact on our workplace satisfaction: boss, culture, colleagues, environment. We need to know how to influence our current realities as well as know how to look for these key elements in future opportunities.
It’s time that as individuals and members of a team, we start identifying and seeing those unhealthy workplaces. We need to see them and address them faster. We need to change our own cycles and patterns. Finally, we also need to recognize and celebrate people who are doing this for themselves and stop diminishing them/minimizing their experiences.
If you’d like some help in order to accelerate your own self-discovery, reach out. I’ll be glad to setup a quick conversation to better understand you.
Here’s the link to the article: Keep winding up in a toxic workplace? Here’s how to break the cycle
