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R
LIFESTYLEEER
CA
the basis for a healthy workplace exists at the health. Seek professional help if you feel trapped
leadership level. It needs effective intervention in your position. But set a red line and don’t allow
to learn the issues: anyone to cross it. Beware: effects of your toxic
workplace will spill over to your home, marriage,
Unclear goals: Common goals foster cohesiveness and family.
and lowers conflicts. Clear team member’s role
and team goals help combat toxicity. “Leaders” who promote self and take credit for
everything are not leaders, but mavericks. Leaders
Lack of trust: Trust in the leader and one another develop and promote others, embed values-
is the glue in a team. People work better in a driven processes, and set and maintain the right
supportive, trusting environment. culture in their firms. Research shows firms with
positive cultures do better in many metrics. They
Poor team leadership: Listen, encourage, and attract better talent, record higher productivity
resource the team. Be authentic, humble, and fair. and profits, have lower turnover, and higher
employee engagement. Arrogant, rude, unethical
Lack of recognition: Thank team members for leaders set unrealistic expectations, and create
everyday tasks; engage with team members chaos which foster toxicity.
often. Give credit when things go right; accept
blame when they go wrong,. A toxic workplace will cause burn-out at any
level. No organization is immune. Toxicity infects
Poor communications: Ensure everyone is businesses, government, charities, and churches.
on the same page. Inspire, motivate, Learn symptoms, identify them early, and work
and reassure team members. to change the culture. Though some creators
of toxicity won’t change, help them even if they
Sometimes one person won’t get with the must leave the organization.
program. Delve deep to find out the cause.
Is something happening at home? Often, the
Michel A. Bell is author of six books including Business
employee has valid concerns she won’t discuss
Simplified, speaker, adjunct professor of business
because she doesn’t trust you. Maybe the team administration at Briercrest College and seminary,
member needs reassignment to workout her and founder and president of Managing God’s Money,
issues. Provide funding for counseling, if needed. a mission devoted to providing free Christian financial
and biblical stewardship advice. For information,
CONCLUSION visit https://managinggodsmoney.com.
A toxic work environment is harmful to your
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