Has 2023 been the year of the Darkside?
Recognising and Addressing Toxic Culture: Six Red Flags
Identifying a toxic work culture and how you are influencing it is crucial for personal well-being and professional growth. We shed light on six red flags signalling a poisonous culture and offer insights on addressing them.
Thinking Tactically (not strategically)
Spotting this in yourself
Short-term fixation prioritises immediate tasks over long-term vision, often neglecting strategic planning for immediate operational needs.
Reactive decision-making tends to respond rashly to immediate issues without considering broader implications or long-term consequences.
Micromanagement tendencies and being overly involved in day-to-day operations undermine delegation and strategic thinking for the team or organisation.
By thinking tactically, you will start to see a lack of employee development in your team:
A toxic culture, no employee growth, negative team morale, stifles creativity, creates a disregard for long-term goals, causes frustration, and disconnects from the business.
What you can do about it:
Develop a strategic mindset by regularly setting aside time for strategic thinking. This should involve reviewing long-term goals, assessing potential challenges, and planning for contingencies.
Prioritise professional development opportunities. Support ongoing learning and skill enhancement to empower employees to reach their full potential.
Being Less Transparent
Spotting this in yourself
Selective in Communication and shares limited information, often withholding details.
Maintains Authority and prefers a hierarchical structure, controlling information flow.
Privacy-Oriented and values confidentiality, withholding personal or strategic details from the team.
By being less transparent, you will start to see that your team will be less open with you:
If communication is shrouded in secrecy, it's a red flag. In a healthy workplace, information flows transparently.
The team starts to distrust, feeling hidden agendas, morale drops, misunderstandings, blame games, frustration, lack of cohesion, and productivity suffers.
What you can do about it:
Promote a culture of openness by proactively sharing information, especially during high-pressure situations. Communicate challenges, progress, and decision-making processes to build trust within your team.
Address this by encouraging open communication channels. Encourage leaders to share information and be receptive to questions and concerns.
Lack of Emotional Intelligence
Spotting this in yourself
Lacks empathy and shows little concern for others' emotions or perspectives.
Poor self-awareness and struggles to recognise and manage personal emotions.
Limited social skills with difficulty building relationships, resolving conflicts, or understanding team dynamics.
By having a lack of emotional intelligence, you will start to see unhealthy competition across your team:
The team starts to lack empathy, communication falters, tension rises, conflicts ignite, teamwork erodes, and collaboration suffers under insensitive leadership.
What you can do about it:
Invest time in understanding and managing your emotions. Practice empathy and active listening, and consider the emotional impact of your decisions on others. Seek feedback on your emotional intelligence to identify areas for improvement.
Promote a collaborative atmosphere by emphasising shared goals. Encourage teamwork and celebrate collective achievements, fostering a sense of unity.
Reducing Psychological Safety
Spotting this in yourself
Authoritarian and imposes strict control stifles input and dismisses diverse perspectives.
Blame-oriented and encourages fear of repercussions, discouraging risk-taking and innovation.
Dismissive and minimises concerns and belittles ideas, creating an environment of insecurity and self-doubt.
By reducing psychological safety, you will start to see that your team has a fear of speaking up:
The team operates in fear, lacks trust, feels unsupported, and struggles, causing confusion and insecurity.
What you can do about it:
Prioritise creating a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions and making mistakes. Encourage open communication and be receptive to diverse perspectives.
Create a safe environment for open dialogue. Leaders should actively seek input, valuing different perspectives. This builds trust and empowers individuals to voice their thoughts without fear.
Being Less Empowering to Others
Spotting this in yourself
Micromanagement and overly directing tasks without autonomy.
Lack of delegation by hoarding responsibilities and not empowering others.
Lack of Trust and doubting others' abilities lead to limited empowerment and confidence among team members.
When you are not empowering others as much as you could, you will start to see a lack of continuous improvement in your team:
Rigidity in leadership inhibits adaptability.
The team stagnates, resists change, lacks motivation and innovation and disregards growth, improvement, and adapting strategies.
What you can do about it:
Delegate responsibilities to team members, allowing them to take ownership of tasks and projects. Provide guidance and support while promoting autonomy. Acknowledge and celebrate their achievements.
Leaders should be open to feedback and willing to adjust strategies when necessary. Promote a culture that embraces change and values continuous improvement.
Overcompensating in the Space of Over-Emotion
Spotting this in yourself
Exaggerated Emotional Displays by constantly showcasing exaggerated emotional responses, amplifying reactions beyond the situation's significance.
Dramatic Instability by displaying erratic emotional swings, veering from extreme enthusiasm to intense distress with little provocation.
Overly Reactive and impulsive to situations, overshadowing rationality with intense emotional outbursts.
When you react in an overly emotional way, you will start to see a higher turnover of staff:
The team exhibits tension, confusion, and insecurity, hindering focus, trust, and effective collaboration and causing frequent departures.
What you can do about it:
Find a balance between expressing emotions appropriately and maintaining a level-headed approach. Avoid making impulsive decisions based on emotions. Consider seeking mentorship or coaching to help manage emotions effectively.
Conduct exit interviews to understand the reasons behind turnover. Address concerns promptly, demonstrating a commitment to creating a positive and stable work environment.
General Tips that may support you to avoid these in the future
Continuous Learning: Regularly assess your leadership skills, seek feedback, and develop professionally to address weaknesses.
Mindfulness Practices: Incorporate mindfulness or stress-reduction techniques into your routine to enhance your ability to stay calm under pressure.
Build a Support System: Surround yourself with a network of colleagues, mentors, or friends who can provide guidance and support during challenging times.
Reflect and Learn: After high-pressure situations, reflect on your actions and their outcomes. Identify areas for improvement and implement changes in your approach.