3 Subtle Ways Work Culture Turns Negative

Trigger events such as the U.S. election season give many of us permission to express our anger. Sometimes, that anger spills over into the workplace and permanently damages our work culture.

As a leader, how do we respond to these bursts of anger? Do we ignore these behaviors, and hope they’re just temporary? Is political upheaval truly the cause of this wave of anger, or an excuse?

The answer isn’t obvious. However, if we choose to ignore these behaviors, it’s just a matter of time until it decimates an otherwise productive and healthy workplace.

This slow trickle of negativity appears in different forms. For example, it might perpetuate indecision for important initiatives. In other instances, it provides fodder for online trolls. Last month, for example, a woman whom I’ve never met voluntarily completed our annual CMO survey. In the “comments” sections, she wrote a string of negative, sarcastic comments.

Effective leaders show zero tolerance for these nefarious behaviors. This is not a matter of asking HR to update the procedures manual. Zero tolerance begins with how we carry ourselves and addressing the behaviors as soon as they surface. In my latest HuffingtonPost, I provide 3 places most leaders might forget to look. They include:

• Combative language
• Energy draining habits
• Responding with revenge

Here is the link to the full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-nirell/when-anger-strikes-3-subt_b_11472510.html

During World War II, Gandhi said: “We must look the world in the face with calm and clear eyes even though the eyes of the world are bloodshot today.” We certainly cannot stop the message maelstrom and micro-manage our work culture. But we can manage how we comport ourselves.

For more tips, visit my HuffingtonPost blog