E18/S2 TOXIC TURNOFF - Dealing with difficult work colleagues

It seemed a good idea at the time. Let's hire someone with high-level business skills, which need to be added to our young organisation.

“Let’s take a risk and recruit Tiffany ”, suggested one interview panel member.

“She’s counterculture, but she’ll be just what we need, agreed another of the panel.

“It’ll be an interesting hire; let’s see how it works out,” said the third-panel member.

It took several months before reality hit home. By then, disenchanted colleagues were branding her “Toxic Tiffany.” 

While Tiffany knew her stuff business-wise, she needed help to work with the team. It was not just that she was rude and insensitive. She influenced everyone else around her, denigrating her victim’s efforts, and the whole team suffered. 

For example, the team would meet, discuss an issue, and decide. Toxic Tiffany would then hold separate meetings, bad  mouth the agreed actions and say things like, “I’m not going to support that decision.”

One of her early mistakes was crossing Brandon, an influential but easy-going team member. A confident person, he was shocked when she dismissed his ideas in a meeting in language that showed her contempt for him. 

Unlike his colleagues, Brandon would not take this lying down. He made an appointment to see Tiffany and came straight to the point. 

“I will die at the barricades for your right to critique my ideas.” Then fixing her with a steely gaze, he declared:

“If you ever talk to me like that again, we will be at war with each other.”   

Tiffany blanched and realised that she had made a dangerous enemy. From then on, she was careful to avoid public speaking about him. That did not stop her from running him down when he was not around. He soon found out. 

Toxic Tiffany had no time for even her most senior colleagues. She told one he was a “waste of space” and another that he was “hard to work with”. It was as if Tiffany had a death wish, and no one was surprised, only relieved when she was asked to leave.

In your search for success at work, you may encounter a toxic individual and need to know how best to deal with a destructive person who may be doing nothing illegal yet be hard to neutralise. Every workplace has its toxic colleagues. There is no need not fall victim to them if you develop a strategy for action. 

Sources: Master the minefield - dealing with bullies, bozos & buffoons | Jeanne Sullivan | TEDxBarnardCollege, May 2015, https://

 

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