You can do many things right, but one destructive behavior pollutes them all.
Toxic behaviors poison teams.
Eliminating destructive behaviors lifts your potential.
Keep the good. Jettison the bad.
12 Toxic Behaviors You Must Avoid:
- Rushing around with your hair on fire.
- Gossiping and shading the truth.
- Tolerating high performers who act like jerks.
- Failing to deal with poor performance.
- Making self-serving decisions.
- Avoiding tough issues.
- Giving yourself special privileges.
- Ignoring morale.
- Throwing people into situations without preparation.
- Pushing, pushing, pushing.
- Overmanaging.
- Promising more than you deliver.
My personal favorite: Focusing on what’s wrong and minimizing what’s right.
Identify your toxicity:
- Self-Audit: Honestly reflect on your impact. List behaviors that repeatedly cause tension, resistance, or disengagement.
- Feedback: Seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or team members. Ask for one behavior that’s holding you back.
- Patterns: Notice situations where you consistently feel frustrated or where others regularly react defensively.
- Blind Spots: Pay attention to criticisms you quickly dismiss.
- Gut Check: Reflect on times you feel uncomfortable, stressed, or defensive. Toxic behaviors huddle there.
Service expands when toxic behaviors shrink.
List the three most toxic behaviors based on your experience.
Project: Name one behavior holding you back. Decide on one concrete action to eliminate it.
8 Traits of Toxic Leadership to Avoid | Psychology Today
