facilitating personal growth
COACH'S TIPS
Toxic Personalities at Work and
How to Handle Them
by Carol A. Henry
In the bottom-line oriented work world, success at any cost seems to be the credo for many business people. Toxic personalities can do very well in a business envrionment where their cuning, their capacity to "think big," and their willingness to do "whatever it takes" are valued and even rewarded.
The toxic personalities in your office may manipulate with outright lies or with more subtle tactics like procrastination or excuse-making to get ahead. Casually, it seems, they step over - or even on - you as they climb to the top. They may even brush you off the corporate ladder altogether. Worse still, one of them may be your boss!
Toxic bosses abuse the power of their position to satisfy their need for control, career advancement or self-promotion. Stanley Foster Reed, author of The Toxic Executive, identifies the top ten traits of toxic execs as:
; Invading others' privacy
; Keeping secrets
; Moodiness and unpredictability
; Keeping others waiting
; An inordinate need for control
; Competitiveness
; Critical of others' ideas
; Taking credit for others' ideas
Because they're respected for their accomplishments (including high departmental output) and skill in their field, toxic bosses are often left to their mischief by management, even when it seems obvious that the long-range cost of toxic behavior is higher than the short -term gains they reap by bullyng employees.
You may be encouraged to feel shame, embarrassment, guilt and fear—this is a normal reaction, but misplaced and inappropriate. Guilt and fear are well-known as tactics of manipulation and control. In fact, this is how all abusers, including sex offenders, control and silence their victims.
These personalities use deception, often amoral behavior and abuse of power….GET HELP! THERE IS NO SHAME OR FAILURE IN THIS. These kinds of bosses or co workers are often sociopaths, and NAIVETY is the greatest enemy — Because it sets people up to EXPECT the sociopath to recognize their wrongdoing and make amends, which, of course, will not happen. NEVER underestimate their deviousness, ruthlessness and…vindictiveness.
WHAT TO DO?
If you are a boss, recognize the damage—and cost that the toxic employee is wreaking on your organization and the negative impact on the bottom line.
If you are an employee, working for or with a toxic manager causes injury to health from prolonged negative stress. NOTE: BOUNDARIES DO NOT WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE!! WALLS ARE REQUIRED: walls of: pleasant, silence, usually DISTANCE!!
Remember: your boss controls your job, but you control your career. Don't let a toxic boss demoralize youor derail you from your career goals. Find ways to cope only if the pain is worth the career gain. Otherwise, seek new employment in a healthier atmosphere!
How to Handle Them
by Carol A. Henry
In the bottom-line oriented work world, success at any cost seems to be the credo for many business people. Toxic personalities can do very well in a business envrionment where their cuning, their capacity to "think big," and their willingness to do "whatever it takes" are valued and even rewarded.
The toxic personalities in your office may manipulate with outright lies or with more subtle tactics like procrastination or excuse-making to get ahead. Casually, it seems, they step over - or even on - you as they climb to the top. They may even brush you off the corporate ladder altogether. Worse still, one of them may be your boss!
Toxic bosses abuse the power of their position to satisfy their need for control, career advancement or self-promotion. Stanley Foster Reed, author of The Toxic Executive, identifies the top ten traits of toxic execs as:
; Invading others' privacy
; Keeping secrets
; Moodiness and unpredictability
; Keeping others waiting
; An inordinate need for control
; Competitiveness
; Critical of others' ideas
; Taking credit for others' ideas
Because they're respected for their accomplishments (including high departmental output) and skill in their field, toxic bosses are often left to their mischief by management, even when it seems obvious that the long-range cost of toxic behavior is higher than the short -term gains they reap by bullyng employees.
You may be encouraged to feel shame, embarrassment, guilt and fear—this is a normal reaction, but misplaced and inappropriate. Guilt and fear are well-known as tactics of manipulation and control. In fact, this is how all abusers, including sex offenders, control and silence their victims.
These personalities use deception, often amoral behavior and abuse of power….GET HELP! THERE IS NO SHAME OR FAILURE IN THIS. These kinds of bosses or co workers are often sociopaths, and NAIVETY is the greatest enemy — Because it sets people up to EXPECT the sociopath to recognize their wrongdoing and make amends, which, of course, will not happen. NEVER underestimate their deviousness, ruthlessness and…vindictiveness.
WHAT TO DO?
If you are a boss, recognize the damage—and cost that the toxic employee is wreaking on your organization and the negative impact on the bottom line.
If you are an employee, working for or with a toxic manager causes injury to health from prolonged negative stress. NOTE: BOUNDARIES DO NOT WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE!! WALLS ARE REQUIRED: walls of: pleasant, silence, usually DISTANCE!!
Remember: your boss controls your job, but you control your career. Don't let a toxic boss demoralize youor derail you from your career goals. Find ways to cope only if the pain is worth the career gain. Otherwise, seek new employment in a healthier atmosphere!
Carol A. Henry • 3401 Bristol Road • Fort Worth TX • 76107
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