Toxic Personalities In the Workplace

Driving your business to success is the top priority – but you can’t do it if a few bad seeds with toxic personalities continue to block change and progress within the company.

“You can’t transform the business until you transform the culture,” Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, Inc, tells PINK. “In that environment you have to transform, you need to make sure the people around you embrace change and that they are adaptive and flexible in order to move forward.”

So how to handle?

To deal with toxic co-workers, steer clear of gossip and troublemakers, keep your business to yourself and stay on task, suggests Associated Content. And if conditions worsen or begin to affect your health, it’s time for an exit plan.

As an employee you have three options: Leave, work through it or wait until something better comes along, says CareerBuilder.com. But most importantly, report any workplace discomfort to the company’s Human Resources department.

Or maybe it’s just one key person? Here are 10 warning signs to help identify negative behavior, including distrust of employees, fear used as a motivator, extreme friendliness and self-absorption.

PINK Profile: Grossman shares how she shifted corporate culture at HSN – and how she remains an authentic leader.

By Muriel Vega

“We have learned that power is a positive force
if it is used for positive purposes.” Elizabeth Dole

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