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How best do you deal with toxic environments

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Marcus Udokang Project Manager| Aivaz Consulting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
How best do you deal with toxic environments or toxic co-workers. Is it best to leave that department or that company all together, or should one stay and deal with the issues head on?
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Dianna Belluscio Greater Ny Area, Nj, United States
Jun 14, 2020 9:22 PM
Replying to Soha Karjawally
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Speak up! I did it when no one expected it when I found that everyone is getting hurt and not only me. In reality, everyone knows about it but no one says anything :)
It takes courage and leadership but when you do it you see how many people were waiting for this person to take the initiative. don't think that you are alone. You will be if you keep silent and you end up leaving the company, or not but with a haunted mind.
Whatever it happens after that, you will see that the feeling is amazing and you would be really proud of yourself and an example for others.

In my case, the top management supported me as I had proofs and they were not aware of the situation. I really appreciated the actions they took afterward and in preventing similar stuff.

Good luck!
In my case I was let go. But I could not let it go any longer without speaking up. It was a risk that I was aware of...basically I worked for a bully and I stood up to the person , a "C" level.
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Eduard Hernandez
Community Champion
Product Operations Program Manager Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
I'd ask myself: Is there something I can do to revert this toxicity? If the root cause is a specific colleague, certain actions can be taken to attempt to solve the issue.

If toxicity, however, is embedded in the DNA of the organization, it can't be reverted and is up to you whether you prefer to stay or pack up and leave.
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Marcus Udokang Project Manager| Aivaz Consulting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
@Kimberly, certainly appreciate your response.

Marcus
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Sajeev Kumar Menon Singapore, Singapore
I concur with many of you here that if you tolerate the toxic environment, you begin to demean yourself day by day and this can be bad for your self-belief and self-confidence. So there are two things you can do: - tell yourself this is a passing phase and keep your spirit high and move on when the time is right. I hope that companies knew that they culture is being eroded by such managers and that they can bring down the whole company if this environment of fear is allowed to spread like a virus
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Mohan Kulkarni PM Specialist| MBK Consultants Pune, Maharashtra State. India, India
Dear Marcus
I feel leaving the company just because you are encircled by toxic/ irrational/skewed behaviour of some of your collegues or even boss is not recommended as it will hurt one slf more than trouble creator.
Another important thing is one has to himself or herself introspect and confirm to oneself that his or her behaviour is not irrational, skewed or toxic.All said and done humans can be irrational and at times need self correction.
One has to be out of the team at times with eye of justice to look at the team members ,inspite of being an integral part of the team to observe and make your own covictions about the reality.
Once one is sure that he or she is getting stressed unjustifiably, as Ms Soha has said one has to stand out and say spade as spade ,ofcourse politely but firmly and remaining team & management supports you then actively.
Before coming to the level of refuting the situation ,one also should have patience . It is always better to have tenacity and resilience to sustain others in a team and make aware -again politely to give an opportunity to correct the culprit this is what the jurisprudence is. Facing the situation with positive mind always helps once you have moral status to disagree and refute.
I have faced such situations with one of bosses but could succeed very well by suataining upto a point and beyond that i challenged him and for his own sake he had to reform himself.
In any case if one wants to leave the company it should happen with clear opportunity and mission to better one's own career.
This is about toxic environment in office.
Another case can be toxic environment such as working in mines or recycling plants or health workers. I consider every profession as noble profession. In All such environments people work and they are equally human beings doing excellent jobs that helps soceity. In such cases hazards or toxicity is pre known and all necessary protective and safety measures should be in place if not ,then in such cases patience is not a virtue. The unsafe situations must be highlighted on real time basis and demand redressal of issues. If management doesnot respond inspite of cautions and notices then it is betterto find another opportunity as early as possible and leave the company for better safety and better prospects.
Regards
Mohan
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Marcus Udokang Project Manager| Aivaz Consulting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
@Dianna, @Eduard, @Sajeev, @Mohan certainly you all appreciate addressing this issue.

@Everyone. It sounds like toxic environments have been experienced by a few of us, or we have certainly heard of a few of these circumstances. I'm sure your words of advice, will help fellow PMs today and in the future, in similar situations.
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