How Toxic Behavior Leads to Sinful Behavior at Work

How Toxic Behavior Leads to Sinful Behavior at Work
By Rachel Zupek, ( An Excerpt )

Have you ever found that the people most guilty of unruly behavior at work are also the ones who are most oblivious to their behavior?
Take Fred, for example. Fred is the guy who asks you to "help" him with a big presentation (aka, you do the whole thing). But when Fred is congratulated on a job well done, he takes full credit for the work you did.
Or, look at Susan. Susan talks to you for hours on end about herself -- her family, friends, work and play -- but never does she ask about what's happening in your world.
And we can't forget about George, who may as well come with a warning label that reads "Dangerous When Angered." One wrong word, question, criticism or opinion and he blows his lid.
All of these people are examples of toxic personalities, which are showing up in the workplace now more than ever.
"During economic downturns, the 'shadow' side of our personalities can bring out the worst in people," say Dr. Mitchell Kusy and Dr. Elizabeth Holloway, authors of "Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and their Systems of Power."

Toxicity spreads like a nasty virus
Perhaps the worst part about noxious workplace behavior is how it affects those around you. According to a study conducted by Kusy and Holloway, 94 percent of respondents said they had worked with or were currently working with a toxic person.
"Before you know it, you have caught the 'infection' and find yourself acting in ways that complement or replicate the very behaviors that are making you angry, frustrated and/or depressed," Kusy and Holloway say.
Here's how to know if you're a toxic personality, and how you can save yourself from your sinful actions:

1. Deadly sin: Envy
Did a co-worker get the promotion you'd been waiting for? Did your colleague surpass you -- again -- in sales? You should absolutely acknowledge others' achievements but don't use them as a standard with which to measure your own. Kusy and Holloway say that when you're envious of someone else, you naturally want to undermine his reputation and the way others gravitate toward him. But in the long run, you're only undoing your own reputation.
Salvation: Bury your envy and start focusing on building a reputation as a team player, Kusy and Holloway suggest. Figure out how you can start turning your envy into passion or positive energy.

2. Deadly sin: Gluttony
More is not always better. Though everyone is anxious to climb quickly up the corporate ladder, none of that will matter if you don't care who you plow through to get to the top. While it's definitely OK to ask for more job responsibility, it's more important to maintain a balance.
Salvation: One of the most critical mistakes regarding gluttony is not considering your team enough, Kusy and Holloway say.
"You don't need to belittle and diminish someone else for your work to be noticed. Work with your team so that you are all noticed for innovation and productivity. Make sure that you are in the lead of building a positive team climate; making everyone look good on a project will make you look good as a team player."

3. Deadly sin: Greed
Everyone is guilty of wanting more: more money, more power and more responsibility. The problem comes when you try to use your position to punish others, demand their loyalty or take all the credit for the work that others have done.
Salvation: It's best to focus your goals on the long term. If you only concentrate on quick, short-term gains, you'll probably do well in the moment but you won't be able to extend yourself to the next level.


4. Deadly sin: Lust
Lust in the workplace isn't limited to office romance. You might lust after a nicer work space or even your boss's job. But, spending your time focused on what you don't have or others' work achievements rather than working to further your own is a sure-fire career killer.
Salvation: "What length will you go satisfy this lust?" ask Kusy and Holloway. "If it extends to deceptions, badmouthing your co-workers or undermining the productivity of the team, then your emotions are ruling your actions with disastrous results. Go to your supervisor and ask him or her to put you on a development plan that can segue you to that next new job in the organization."

5. Deadly sin: Pride
Personal success is your M.O. -- you have no problem taking credit for a job well done, even if it was a joint effort. You have the absolute belief that you're always right; you always want to be in control, and you think other people won't -- or can't -- do their jobs. While it's a good feeling to be right, no one is always right, Kusy and Holloway explain.
"When you are right and make sure that everyone else knows that they are proven wrong, you can be sure that you have lost their support in the future," they say.
Salvation: First, realize that building a reputation for getting things done right is to build a team that does it right together, they say. Remember that sharing credit with everyone who deserves it makes everyone accountable. Finally, give praise where it is due and you'll be shocked how much comes back to you, Kusy and Holloway say.

6. Deadly sin: Sloth
If you're lazy, complacent or indifferent about your job, you're on the express train to nowhere. Just because you've been successful in the past doesn't mean that success will carry you through the rest of your career. Sloth becomes toxic when there's a continued pattern that becomes counter-productive to workplace productivity.
Salvation: There are several steps you can take to keep your laziness in check, Kusy and Holloway say. First, take stock of yourself and determine where the source of your laziness lies. Are you bored? Do you need to be more challenged in your role? Next, make a specific plan to increase your productivity at work. Figure out how you will measure your expectations and make sure it's feasible, they say.

7. Deadly sin: Wrath
Anger and malice benefit no one in the workplace. Harboring secret hatred or angst toward your boss, colleagues or general work environment will only create an atmosphere of negativity and abuse around you, Kusy and Holloway say.
Salvation: Any pessimistic feelings you have toward co-workers or work are bound to surface eventually, Kusy and Holloway say. If you're angry with your boss, figure out what is bothering you and then see if you can talk to him or her about it. If you're unhappy with your work in general, it might be time to start looking for a new position.

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10 Worst Work Habits

Posted May 28th 2009 5:27PM
Anthony Balderrama,

When two people fall in love, they only see sunshine and rainbows when they look into each other's eyes. If you asked, "What's the worst trait of your boyfriend or girlfriend?" they would answer, "Absolutely, positively nothing!"

Ask that same question a few years later when they're living together and have seen each other at their respective worst. You'll get a pretty good list:

"She cuts her toenails on the coffee table."

"He speaks in a cutesy voice on behalf of the dog."

"She kicks me in her sleep."

Hopefully none of these nuisances find their way into your work life, but other ones probably do. Everyone has some weaknesses in their work behavior that they need to work on, and they often extend beyond annoyances (such as eating a smelly lunch at your desk) and become problems for your career.

Here are 10 work habits that you should try to break:

1. Procrastination

A lot of people work best under pressure, or at least they say so. With everyone having a different personality, you can't say a strict schedule works best for all employees. Putting tasks off until the last minute, however, invites plenty of problems, even if you think the final result will be glorious.

When you leave yourself no wiggle room to complete a task, you run the risk of encountering an unexpected obstacle that makes you miss the deadline. Even if the situation's out of your hands, everyone will be left wondering why you didn't plan better and account for last-minute emergencies.

2. Being a sloppy e-mailer

E-mails are second nature to most people these days, and in informal communications they've become a digital Post-It note. We type out a message and send them without proofreading or double-checking the recipients. That's a recipe for disaster.

If you haven't learned your lesson by now, the day will soon come when you accidentally "Reply All" to an e-mail and a slew of unintended readers receive a silly note you only intended your co-worker to read.

3. Confusing informal with disrespectful

In many workplaces the boss might be the decision maker, but he or she isn't the stern, humorless caricature you saw on TV. Using your supervisor's first name and going for some drinks after work are common in many industries. Still, you are the employee and the boss is the boss -- the one who can fire you and tell you what to do. Don't cross the line by talking to him or her as if you're talking to one of your direct reports or even your best friend. You need to show some respect for their authority.

4. Taking advantage of leeway

Some companies are strict about the time you clock in and out. Others have guidelines but no hard rules. So you can arrive at 8:35 a.m. and no one cares. If over time you're arriving at 9:10 a.m. and leaving at 4 p.m. (with plenty of breaks in between), your reputation will suffer.

This also goes for dress codes. Business casual is up to interpretation, but ripped jeans and concert tees probably don't fall under your company's accepted definition.

5. Refusing to mingle

Plenty of wisdom lies in the advice not to mix personal and professional lives. However, refusing to take part in any social activity -- such as the office potluck or a happy hour -- will not help your career. You don't need to be the resident party animal, but being personable with your colleagues helps build camaraderie. You get to know other people better and they get to know you as more than the person they pass in the halls.

6. Always running late

This isn't the same as abusing leeway; this is a matter of trust. If you're late to work, to meetings and with projects, your boss and colleagues will associate that trait with you. When it's time for a promotion or to deal with an important client, everyone will think twice before giving you the opportunity. Who wants to trust the person who can't manage his or her time?

7. Being rigid

One of the unfair aspects of the working world is that sometimes it seems you can't win. If you're hired to do a job, most bosses don't want you passing the day by reading your favorite book. The reason: You were hired to do a job, so do it. But if the boss comes to you with a new project that's outside the parameters of your usual duties, it's still yours to do. "You don't pay me to do that" isn't something you want to tell your supervisor.

8. Acting as the resident contrarian

We all love your spirited personality, but try not to be the person in the meeting who always has a better idea and can tell you why everyone else's idea is dumb. Voices of opposition are often missing in many workplaces because too many eager employees want to be "yes" men and women. But too much negativity grates on nerves and makes people dread hearing your voice. Continue to be a critical thinker, but make sure you're doing what's best for the company and not just trying to be the loudest voice in the room.

9. Badmouthing the company

With blogs, Facebook, Twitter and a host of other sites, you have plenty of opportunity to vent your frustration with life. If you're going to complain about how dumb your boss is and how much you hate your job, keep those rants private. The Internet is public domain and comments have a way of finding their way back to all the wrong people. If you wouldn't stand outside your boss's office and tell a co-worker how ready you are to quit, don't express the same thoughts in an open forum.

10. Politicking

Office politics are often unavoidable, and sometimes having a grasp on what's going on can benefit you, but you shouldn't spend more time masterminding office warfare than you do working. Getting caught in the crosshairs of a workplace controversy can be out of your control, but if you're the one instigating the drama, you're earning a bad reputation. You're the person who starts trouble and whom no one trusts. That's the kind of notoriety that follows you from one workplace to another.