TOXIC BEHAVIOR CAN BE AVOIDED

MANAGE HIGH-RISK EMPLOYEES AND ELIMINATE ISSUES BEFORE THEY ARISE

“Pull out the thorn that’s hurting your foot. If it’s hurting you, remove it right away. Don’t let it fester, and be careful that no piece of it remains inside you. In other words, insist on continuing like this, and there will come a time when you can’t take another step forward in your life.” (Marcello de Souza)

I’ve probably written about ten articles on toxic and abusive relationships. This topic, no matter how much explored, always returns to discussion. Not surprisingly, this week I started a project with a new client who is experiencing the harmful effects of a culture contaminated by toxic individuals. Therefore, leveraging this case, today I want to present to you a perspective that I hope will help employees and leaders who have been suffering from toxic people and environments.

It’s worth noting that since the traditional management schools emerged around the turn of the 20th century, there’s no shortage of examples of major companies, governments, politicians, and entrepreneurs and their various criticisms regarding toxic management. Just to refresh your memory, recent scandals of toxic leadership have involved figures like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Travis Kalanick, Jeff Bezos, among many others. Many managers who were once admired and even authored bestsellers on leadership have been in the spotlight in various news outlets for their toxicity. Whether in the private or public sector, leaders worldwide in various fields have become subjects of study on leadership, organizational culture, and human behavior, mainly as cautionary tales of what not to do as managers and leaders. Not convinced? A brief internet search will reveal numerous examples of famous individuals who seem to take pleasure in contaminating the workplace with their toxicity.

The fact is that any toxic leadership relates to toxic relationships and can occur anywhere and with anyone. Whether between couples, at work, within families, or among colleagues, it manifests in many ways – verbally or non-verbally, physically or mentally – and results in making the other person feel small, inadequate. A toxic person tends to be negativistic, complaining about everything and everyone. They find problems even where there shouldn’t be any; they judge, criticize, complain, get jealous, hold possessive ideas, acting as true emotional vampires, yet rarely realizing the impact of their actions. This behavior undermines the other person. A toxic person damages self-esteem, self-compassion, and the recognition of one’s own values, as well as distorts the image others have of themselves. In these relationships, the toxic person becomes an inhibitory obstacle for the other person to be themselves, directly affecting personal and professional growth. Their impact extends to both physical and mental health, potentially leading to psychological disorders such as stress, depression, panic disorder, phobias, anxiety, substance dependence, burnout, among others.

Hence, there’s great concern about workplace toxicity. The seriousness of the issue has been emphatically highlighted in the media, signaling the urgent need for cultural redefinition in the workplace and the implementation, by organizations, of continuous analysis of their employees, new processes, and new behavioral training.

Those who are under the subordination of toxic leadership gradually lose sensitivity to their own principles over time and become incapable of perceiving the conditions of the environment, unable to gauge how this will affect the health of their business, project, or even personal life and social well-being, particularly in the medium and long term. This is because, like a virus, a toxic leader contaminates not just one or two people, but an entire team. Over time, toxic leadership becomes entrenched in the company’s “DNA,” and a toxic environment is culturally formed, becoming an opportunistic and devastating system, contaminating everyone. The consequences are silent, intangible, and rarely perceived. Like metastasis. In the end, reality manifests in the worst possible condition, almost impossible to heal. Those inside it hardly realize how contaminated they are. Some because they identify with it, others because they allow it (due to numerous personal reasons), and there are also those who don’t realize and adapt to it like a contagion. In all cases, the devastating impact on physical and mental health will occur at some point.

It’s true that leaders and managers cannot afford to maintain the status quo when the workplace environment and culture are already contaminated. But, before taking any action, they need to understand the problem, and that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Toxic leadership is always followed by a form of dysfunctional behavior in the workplace, which often begins with small groups, sometimes with leadership itself, and can also be part of the organizational culture — it’s a chronic phenomenon with a long history. The major difficulty with a toxic environment lies in the moral blindness it creates in the people who are already part of it.

Research indicates that over 70% of professionals have experienced toxic workplaces, and in many cases, these individuals simply left their jobs without addressing the issue with leadership. One reason is that talking about a toxic environment is rarely understood; other times, it’s due to the difficulty posed by the leadership itself. To complicate matters further, toxic leaders do not accept this condition and, to avoid being questioned, tend to promote fear and insecurity among their subordinates.

In search of insights to assist with my work for some clients, I have identified three stages adopted by some companies that have successfully dealt with toxic environments, preventing them from contaminating the company culture itself. I believe this can help you as a leader build idea to adapt something similar and effectively prevent toxicity in the workplace. It’s worth noting that this proposal to assist companies is largely based on social and behavioral psychology. The key to my model is focusing on employees who already exhibit toxic behavior.

It’s also worth remembering that most organizations have relatively few of them. Based on my research and previous work, I estimate that 1% to 3% of employees within organizations have the potential to deviate from behavioral norms and spread their toxicity, becoming dysfunctional or dangerous. Although it’s difficult to monitor this profile in the hiring process, it is possible to identify and deal with them within a certain environmental condition before they pose a threat to others.

Just as with everyday problems, the worst cases of toxic people rarely thrive unexpectedly. A chain of events or conditions almost always precedes them. Understanding them is crucial to cutting misconduct at its root. In this model, I address the three stages that typically occur when people with this profile tend to harm the environment:

Stage 1. In this phase, companies present risk factors or favorable conditions for toxic individuals, such as excessive centralization in decision-making, micromanagement of subordinates and teams, low-quality interpersonal communication, leaders and managers behaving poorly, poor feedback skills, meritocracy, double standards, as well as common negative attitudes, limiting beliefs, unnecessary disputes, excessive workloads, and unhealthy environments. All of these factors contribute to the proliferation of this problem. Thus, if there is no reaction from leadership to combat these factors, contamination occurs until a toxic organizational culture is established. These conditions do not mean that toxic organizational culture is inevitable, but they increase the likelihood of problems arising and spreading. As a tip, one of the principles of behavioral psychology is to pay attention to employees who behave excessively respectfully in environments with more cultural restrictions, as they may deviate from norms when their power and influence are not controlled or monitored. Beware, toxic people are great “actors”!

Stage 2. It’s worth remembering that a characteristic of a toxic person is their manipulative capacity, in addition to being very friendly, engaging, and charming. Over time and with space, they gradually reveal their toxicity. When observing low-impact toxic employees (persuasion), using language and behaviors with toxic connotations, it’s quickly apparent that their dialogues are not rude; some are even welcoming and enjoy hearing stories, but beneath the surface, they are hostile, aiming to humiliate and put people “in their place,” present in their stories or in tasteless jokes, which are also warning signs of a work environment where more intense toxic contamination may occur.

Stage 3. This is the phase of toxic attack, ranging from physical or verbal aggression, humiliation, disrespect, harassment, among other harmful behaviors, spreading victimhood, negativity, and pessimism to the entire team. The longer this persists, the more chaos they cause in the environment with other professionals, and thus, the greater the chances of the team adopting harmful habits such as individualism, gossip, complaints, as well as a pessimistic outlook in the workplace. The mannerisms related to these cases can reach the systemic sphere and drain individual and organizational energy, time, and money. They should not, under any circumstances, be ignored or pushed aside.

When employees’ behavior reaches this stage, the cost will be extremely high. Companies tend to always lose because they can be held responsible for complaints, labor lawsuits, as well as high turnover rates, lack of empathy, individualism, inflexible leadership and managers, lack of internal and external trust, resistance to change and innovation. In any case, direct costs include turnover, absenteeism, medical leave, poor performance, and litigation. Indirect costs include a decline in motivation and morale and problems with dissatisfaction, as well as factors that compromise the quality of work relationships, such as distrust, disrespect, and animosity. Many people pay the price – toxic environments negatively affect not only the people directly involved but also horizontal and vertical management, c-levels, clients, suppliers, service providers, and other stakeholders.

WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT A TOXIC ENVIRONMENT

Next, I want to propose a set of interventions for each of the three stages. When systematically applied, these measures reduce or eliminate the toxic environment. The best time to intervene is undoubtedly the first stage, where the company’s initiative will have the broadest impact and help eradicate conditions that can lead to misconduct:

– Primary prevention of a toxic environment can be thought of as the fundamental structure of your policy. It is the basis for all other interventions. It starts with clear action coming from self-management as well as leadership (everyone must be aligned) in all forms of toxicity, explicitly linking them to behavioral metrics and monitoring through conversations and feedback. The HR department should systematically track the company for warning signs, such as side conversations, direct or indirect complaints, analysis of environmental satisfaction levels, turnover, or previous incidents in individual work histories. Primary prevention includes behavioral lectures, behavioral tests, comprehensive behavioral training, and education at all levels of the hierarchy, but especially in frontline supervision. Middle-level managers and frontline leaders, when properly trained, can be the company’s most valuable resource for preventing toxicity from spreading. Therefore, they should be taught to create a culture where all individuals are treated with respect and power is used in moderation. All managers and leaders should observe their subordinates’ interactions with colleagues and identify what may require corrective action.

It is important for everyone in the company, not just decision-makers, to be trained to recognize signs and symptoms of deviant behavior. The goal is to be alert to behaviors that may indicate that something is wrong, as the diagnosis of any disorder can only be made by professionals from behavioral development. Examples of warning behaviors that are treated with hostility by those below and with kindness and flattery by those above in the hierarchy, for convenience, are a major dodge and already demonstrate toxicity in the environment. Practicing harassment and bullying and humiliating publicly are other attitudes potential victims need to be aware of to protect themselves. As for managers and HR partners, it is important that they are qualified to apply and interpret behavior assessments, personality tests, and team feedback.

– Secondary prevention targets low-intensity forms of toxicity, which must be suppressed before any serious harm is caused. Secondary prevention focuses on identifying and eliminating disrespect, harassment, and bullying, for example. These negative behaviors often lead to absenteeism, lateness, accidents, and higher safety violations, so companies should monitor their data on this, along with reports from leaders about colleagues and employees, looking for signs that people are not being treated respectfully.

In an ideal world, all individuals associated with a company — employees, leaders, service providers, and even customers and witnesses — would feel comfortable reporting any unacceptable behavior they observed. The company’s responsibility is to provide an environment that makes them feel this way. An important step is to create at least three secure channels for complaints: one in HR, one in the legal area, and one in employee well-being. Trained professionals will be needed to help diagnose, assess, and screen more serious cases. Providing direct feedback to transgressors is crucial. They need to be reprimanded for deviating from the company’s code of conduct, but equally have the opportunity to apologize for their behavior and adjust. Individual training in interpersonal communication, about respecting others, and how to clearly communicate personal boundaries often corrects low-intensity cases. I also suggest intervention training for those suffering from toxicity, which can help prevent its spread, as evidenced by a research review I conducted. Behavioral training throughout the company can also be a new opportunity to combat the toxic environment.

Tertiary prevention is necessary when primary and secondary prevention fail, and a high-intensity toxicity incident occurs. Companies must be prepared for the worst and act immediately to minimize any negative impact or incurred damage, treating everyone involved fairly. We recommend a four-step approach:

• Containment. Contain the toxic individual involved in attacking the environment or colleague.

• Care. Provide assistance to targets and people who have been exposed to it, such as witnesses or colleagues close to the target.

• Forgiveness. This does not mean absolving the transgressor or forgetting what happened. The idea is to forgive people for allowing the toxic occurrence. This is why forgiveness is essential for recovery after workplace harm or damage.

• Resilience. The organization must recover from the evils of this individual’s profile with behavioral events.

It is worth remembering, as it is so common in Brazil, that management models based on fear and control and organizational cultures that encourage competition and reward for good results regardless of the methods used may contribute to the development and manifestation of characteristics of this profile, which normally have some degree of toxicity. Revisiting the organization’s values and making it clear to everyone what is — and what is not — acceptable, as well as the punishment for breaking the rules, becomes fundamental to not consolidate the mentality that the world belongs to the strong and the ends justify the means. The toxic employee destroys lives and leaves a long legacy of suffering. And in a toxic workplace, it is an occupational health problem that does not arise in isolation. It generally results from cumulative events and, therefore, is predictable and can be avoided. The toxic employee in the workplace is not casual and, with appropriate surveillance and prevention mechanisms, can be completely eliminated.

Here are some self-reflective questions for you to practice self-analysis:

• To what extent can my own behavior contribute to a healthy or toxic work environment?
• What are the warning signs of toxic behavior that I observe in myself or in other coworkers?
• How can I improve my interpersonal communication skills to avoid behaviors that may be perceived as toxic?
• Am I aware of my own personal boundaries and do I respect the boundaries of others in the workplace?
• What steps can I take to promote a climate of mutual respect and collaboration in my team or organization?
• Am I willing to report toxic behaviors when I observe them, even if it may be uncomfortable or challenging?
• How can I practice empathy and understanding in situations of conflict or tension at work?
• Am I open to receiving constructive feedback about my own behavior and willing to make adjustments when necessary?
• What steps can I take to protect myself from toxic behaviors in the workplace and promote my own mental health and well-being?
• Am I committed to contributing positively to the organizational culture and doing my part to prevent or eliminate toxic behaviors?

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THANK YOU FOR READING AND SEEING MARCELLO DE SOUZA IN ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE PUBLICATION ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Hello, I’m Marcello de Souza! I started my career in 1997 as a leader and manager in a large company in the IT and Telecommunications market. Since then, I have participated in important projects of structuring, implementation, and optimization of telecommunications networks in Brazil. Restless and passionate about behavioral and social psychology. In 2008, I decided to delve into the universe of the human mind.

Since then, I have become a professional passionate about deciphering the secrets of human behavior and catalyzing positive changes in individuals and organizations. Doctor in Social Psychology, with over 25 years of experience in Cognitive Behavioral and Human Organizational Development. With a wide-ranging career, I highlight my role as:

– Master Senior Coach and Trainer: Guiding my clients in the pursuit of goals and personal and professional development, achieving extraordinary results.

– Chief Happiness Officer (CHO): Fostering an organizational culture of happiness and well-being, boosting productivity and employee engagement.

– Expert in Language and Behavioral Development: Enhancing communication and self-awareness skills, empowering individuals to face challenges with resilience.

– Cognitive Behavioral Therapist: Using cutting-edge cognitive-behavioral therapy to help overcome obstacles and achieve a balanced mind.

– Speaker, Professor, Writer, and Researcher: Sharing valuable knowledge and ideas in events, training, and publications to inspire positive changes.

– Consultant and Mentor: Leveraging my experience in leadership and project management to identify growth opportunities and propose personalized strategies.

My solid academic background includes four postgraduates and a doctorate in Social Psychology, along with international certifications in Management, Leadership, and Cognitive Behavioral Development. My contributions in the field are widely recognized in hundreds of classes, training sessions, conferences, and published articles.

Co-author of the book “The Secret of Coaching” and author of “The Map Is Not the Territory, the Territory Is You” and “The Diet Society” (the first of a trilogy on human behavior in contemporaneity – 05/2024).

Allow me to be your companion on this journey of self-discovery and success. Together, we will unravel a universe of behavioral possibilities and achieve extraordinary results.

By the way, I invite you to join my network. As a lover of behavioral psychology, social psychology, and neuroscience, I have created my YouTube channel to share my passion for cognitive behavioral development with more people.

Please note that all data and content in this article or video are exclusive, written, and reviewed by Marcello de Souza based on proven philosophical concepts and scientific studies to ensure that the best possible content reaches you.

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