How to Deal with Toxic Employees
When you scale quickly it become easy to find yourself surrounded by toxic employees. Embezzlement, theft, and everything in-between can happen if you aren’t on top of toxic behavior. One thing I would tell my younger self is to fire them the moment they become toxic. Today I share my experiences on leading a team when the issue of a toxic employee is brought up.
Key Takeaways:
{2:40 } What I define as toxicity is what will ultimately destroy your company. People won’t always get along. It’s when the motive behind someone’s behavior causes employees to want to leave.
{4:14} Management has to be able to recognize when someone takes credit for everything their subordinates are doing and only bring them information that makes them look better.
{5:20} Any time I have had this happen I ask them questions while letting them know this behavior has been brought to my attention. Be present as a leader to see if you see the same thing. It carries a lot more weight than saying “so and so told me”.
{7:08} “Why did you leave your previous employer” is a great way to gauge how they will impact your culture. If they tend to deflect blame to their previous management or employees then it is likely they will do the same to you.
{9:22} Toxic people are the ones that are trying to take people with them, trying to stir up drama, and trying to stir up other peoples lives when it should just be professional at the workplace.
(11:01} If you should a strong leadership with expectations people will be more willing to follow those and not get away with toxic behavior. Toxic employees can and have destroyed business far more than outside behaviors.
{12:58} Talk about performance, not people.
Set consistent expectations and consistent goals to avoid toxic environments. Don’t change those because a supposed rockstar came into the company or it may drain the longtime, loyal employees.
Connect with Will:
Book I Can’t Read: A Guide to Success Through Failure
Email: Will@willtalksbiz.com