Avoid Politics and Toxic People: Building a Healthy Workplace Culture
One of the most common yet underestimated challenges businesses face is dealing with internal politics and toxic individuals. While profitability, strategy, and innovation are critical to success, the culture within an organization can make or break even the best business plans. After working with over 100 businesses, we’ve seen firsthand how unhealthy dynamics can sap energy, derail focus, and ultimately destroy morale. The most successful companies prioritize creating a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration, ensuring their teams can thrive.
Why Office Politics and Toxicity Are So Damaging
Toxic behavior in the workplace—whether it’s gossip, favoritism, or undermining colleagues—acts like a slow poison, eroding trust and productivity. Office politics often divert attention away from meaningful work, replacing collaboration with competition and resentment. A study by Christine Porath in Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace highlights that incivility and toxic behaviors lead to decreased employee engagement, increased burnout, and higher turnover rates. Left unchecked, these issues can spiral into costly disruptions for the business.
Similarly, Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team explores how a lack of trust and unresolved conflict can cripple team performance. Leaders must actively address these dysfunctions by fostering open communication and ensuring everyone feels valued and respected.
Recognizing and Addressing Toxic Behaviors
The first step in creating a healthier work environment is recognizing toxicity when it appears. Toxic individuals often exhibit behaviors such as manipulation, excessive criticism, or prioritizing personal gain over team success. Leaders must be willing to confront these behaviors directly and decisively. Ignoring them or hoping they will resolve themselves only exacerbates the problem.
Kim Scott’s Radical Candor provides a framework for addressing difficult situations with both kindness and honesty. By offering direct feedback while showing genuine care for the individual, leaders can address toxic behaviors constructively and create an environment where accountability thrives.
How to Minimize Office Politics
While some level of workplace politics may be inevitable, leaders can take steps to minimize its impact:
Establish Clear Values: Organizations with strong, clearly defined values set the tone for acceptable behavior. These values act as a compass, guiding how employees interact and make decisions.
Foster Transparency: Open communication reduces the potential for misinterpretation and mistrust. Regular team updates, clear decision-making processes, and accessible leadership can prevent misunderstandings and power struggles.
Prioritize Collaboration: Encourage cross-functional teamwork and celebrate collective achievements. When success is shared, it reduces the incentive for individuals to prioritize personal agendas over team goals.
Reward Positive Behavior: Recognize and reward behaviors that align with company values, such as teamwork, empathy, and innovation. This reinforces a culture of respect and collaboration.
Creating a Culture of Trust
Trust is the cornerstone of a healthy workplace. Leaders who model integrity, fairness, and empathy inspire their teams to do the same. Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in building trust. When leaders admit their own mistakes, listen actively, and create a safe space for others to share, they set the stage for deeper connections and stronger collaboration.
Additionally, psychological safety—a concept popularized by Amy Edmondson in The Fearless Organization—is crucial for high-performing teams. Employees who feel safe to express ideas, ask questions, and take risks without fear of retribution are more likely to innovate and contribute fully to the organization’s success.
Practical Steps for Leaders
Set the Standard: Model the behavior you expect from your team. Demonstrate respect, fairness, and a commitment to the organization’s values.
Hold People Accountable: Address toxic behaviors immediately and consistently. Use frameworks like Radical Candor to provide clear, constructive feedback.
Promote Inclusivity: Ensure that all voices are heard and valued. Encourage diverse perspectives and create opportunities for collaboration.
Invest in Development: Provide training and resources to help employees improve their communication and conflict resolution skills.
Reinforce a Positive Culture: Celebrate wins, recognize contributions, and regularly revisit and reinforce the organization’s core values.
Conclusion
Avoiding politics and toxic people isn’t just about creating a more pleasant work environment; it’s about building a sustainable, high-performing organization. By fostering trust, transparency, and collaboration, leaders can mitigate the damaging effects of toxicity and cultivate a culture where everyone can thrive. The best businesses don’t just succeed because of great strategies or products—they succeed because they prioritize their people and create an environment where potential can flourish.
At Barthell Digital we are obsessed with the science and art of building a productive and fun team environment. If you’re interested in hearing more from our learnings and considering working with us, don’t hesitate to reach out!
