What is the worst experience you have had with a toxic boss or even employee? How did it leave you feeling emotionally, mentally and physically?
It’s no secret I was once a toxic boss. The impact of my toxicity never became more apparent to me then a few years after I left corporate and published Shedding the Corporate Bitch. One of the first Amazon reviews was a fire storm of pain being expressed by an ex-employee. I should note, it was later removed systematically due to the degree of hate speech, but that’s when my eyes were really opened to the pain I inflicted.
Then there was the day I was launching my new business, at the time it was The Boas Group, and a different employee posted on a very popular social site at the time, a hate-filled review of me as a boss. So, of course that had the highest ranking and was the very first thing that came up when you googled my name.
While many were telling me to lay low and not put myself out there marketing my book, promoting my new business, and sharing lessons learned on Shedding the Bitch radio (2010)… hearing those horrendeous experiences others had made me more determined then ever to change.
Toxic bosses can severely impact workplace morale, productivity, and even business results, let alone, the confidence and trust of those victimized. So, my goal turned to getting managers, HR leaders, and companies to recognize toxic behavior early so they can deal with it immediately before it does further damage to the people, processes, and profits of the business.
Leadership isn’t just about taking actions and achieving goals but ensuring the team’s well-being and growth is first and fore-most the target. Recognizing and confronting toxic behaviors early will help tremendously in fostering a healthy work environment.
What are some of those behavior and traits? LISTEN to the full episode for a deep dive into the discussion.
Toxic bosses exhibit traits like self-centeredness, lack of empathy, emotional outbursts, micromanaging, a shift-blaming attitude and much more.
They can be demanding, curt, abrasive, and in some cases, emotionally abusive, beating folks down with demeaning or backhanded comments and passive agressive behavior.
NOTE: On November 5th, we will continue this discussion with a focus on why toxic individuals behave the way they do and how you can confront them effectively. FOLLOW the podcast to get notifications.
Such behaviors contribute to a culture of fear, distrust, and low morale. So, it should be no surprise that key statistics suggest that over 50% of professionals have left a job due to a toxic manager. Many of those professionals were high-potential and valuable contributors to the business. Ouch.
Along with those impacts, the mental, emotional, mental and spiritual drain on individual can hit the bottom line – doubling turnover rates and decreasing productivity by up to 20%, costing the company significant investments in hiring, onboarding, training, and others.
IWhat’s even worse – any silence by corporate leaders in addressing the individual equates to acceptance of the toxic behavior, attitudes, and words in the workplace. And, that is shameful!
What can you do about it?
1. Proactively confront it. Once you or someone else witnesses or is victimized by toxic behavior, address and shut it down. If you aren’t comfortable with confronting difficult individuals, get the training and coaching needed. SCHEDULE time with me and let’s discuss your situation – www.coachmebernadette.com/discoverycall.
2. Often toxic individuals don’t see their destructive behavior, so have a 360 Assessment done on them. This will allow them to see in black and white the experience others have of them; both good and bad, strengths and areas for improvements, that will help them make the changes necessary.
3. Provide them specific skill and leadership training and coaching; such as communication, emotional intelligence, people management, and more critically, self-awareness. Hire a outside coach and trainer to provide objective feedback, correction, and insights to the impact they are creating for others and their own career. Again, reach out and let’s talk. SCHEDULE HERE.
Corporate success is built on healthy, collaborative, and safe work environments and cultures. You can’t accept even one employee, regardless of position, to pull down the effectiveness and satisfaction of others, no matter how productive, results-focused, and smart they are. Don’t allow that to be the excuse used for not addressing the issue.
Remember, silence is acceptance, and you will be telling everyone that the behavior is acceptable which may only propagate the issue.
By addressing toxic leadership behaviors head-on and implementing strategic remedies, organizations can unlock their full potential and create a thriving, positive workplace.
For more insights, visit balloffirecoaching.com and explore services designed to elevate corporate professionals and team performance.
