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Read time: 1.34 minutes

What is TOXIC, and what isn’t ?

I’ve seen the the words ‘TOXIC’ used a lot on social media (particularly LinkedIn) when people are discussing their work environment or their boss.

“There’s no such thing as a toxic manager” (‘you are just soft’, being the implication).

In another post, the commenter was recounting an exchange with a colleague.
They described it as toxic, but from what they wrote, it seemed more like a disagreement.

Have we got to a place where if everyone doesn’t agree (with you) then the environment must be toxic?

Let’s take a step back, for a moment.

Toxic as a label (in the UK, at least) is applied to chemicals (or environmental conditions). Here’s the definition.

How do we see TOXIC now?

Now it’s seeped into a more corporate reference:

• Toxic boss

• Toxic environment

• Toxic workplace

This language has only fairly recently come into use.

Were we more tolerant 100 years ago, or is that because workplaces have changed

If we look back 100 years or to industrial sites, children went up a chimney and under machinery.
But they were accepted as the necessary evil to get paid, to survive.

In the 60s and 70s, asbestos was widely used.

When we look at today’s environments, what’s the equivalent? We consider physical as well as mental harm.

If someone is under significant stress, not only does that cause mental anguish, it can lead to physical manifestations too.

My only direct experience of a toxic environment was extremely stress full. It lead to me having asthma and skin problems.

My doctor insisted on signing me off work.

Not life-threatening maybe, but I’d say toxic..

What are the implications for you as a manager?

Reflecting with a friend recently on our experiences, we both had managers with similar, abusive behaviours. I put my manager’s down to stress: he was stressed, so felt it was OK to take it out on everyone else.

💡 The fact he was stressed, doesn’t make his behaviour any more acceptible, or less toxic to those on the receiving end. Detach emotions from your behaviours at work.

Maybe, when managers accept certain behaviours themselves, they then assume that others will find it acceptable. “I put up with it, so so can you…”

💡Just because he found that behaviour ok, it doesn’t mean that others will. Maybe you have a higher tolerance for poor behaviours.

Another reflection was my friend’s research involving 16 yr old school children.
They were surprised when they were given feedback, saying they only got positive, affirmative feedback. They just didn’t receive ‘constructive feedback’.

💡Could that then lead to employees who would describe an uncomfortable situation, as toxic?

We certainly have different thresholds for what we find stressful. Maybe the same applies to ‘toxicity’?

💡For me, toxicity also implies persistent behaviour, as opposed to a single event.

But I’d add, that’s not part of the legal definition.

How do you deal with it as an employee?

Health-damaging behaviour isn’t acceptable, but here we have an ‘it depends’ scenario

(I hate it when that happens).

Are they the new manager who has come into an existing team?

You have an advantage of a network that you can leverage.

Are you the new person, with a manager whose behaviour is tolerated? They are not likely to listen to you, but may listen to others.

Here are some options if you are going through this, or know someone who is:

1. Your health is the most important thing. Protect it.

2. If you can, speak to another manager about what you are going through. Go with examples of what has happened or been said. Be as objective as you can. Ask for advice on how to take it forward.

3. If you are well established, you can leverage your network and team-mates. Find other examples, and collectively seek a solution.

4. It may be appropriate to speak to the HR department and possibly make a complaint/ raise a grievance. I would discuss the pros and cons of doing this with a friend or colleague.

5. There may be fallout. This depends on the who, what, where and how long you have been in your role.

6. If you’re new, start to look for an alternative when you as soon you feel the environment is toxic. You will not grow there. It doesn’t mean you have to leave, but will make it easier if you do.

7. If you can’t get an amicable solution and the behaviour changes, accept you need to move on. It’s not ideal to have to leave your job, but it may be better to think of this option than go through any formal process. Your health is more important than point scoring or money.

If you need to discuss this, simply reply to the email. I’m always open to chat.

Please don’t hesitate to forward this, to help others learn.

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Action for the week!

Want to have a practice?
Talking point : what do you and your team consider toxic behaviour?
What variation is there in opinion ( if any)?
What process is in place for dealing with it, and are your team aware?

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