The Office Energiser or The Energy Drainer?
Drive by Friday
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Drive by Friday –
We see many behaviours in the workplace, and it might be worthwhile to unravel how we manage toxicity and employees with attitudes of differing types?
Not every performance issue is about capability.
Sometimes it’s about conduct.
Sometimes it’s about mindset.
And sometimes it’s about behaviour that quietly chips away at culture.
Toxicity in the workplace rarely arrives dramatically. It creeps in.
· An eye roll in a meeting
· A sarcastic comment or two
· A high performer who thinks results excuse tone
· A colleague who constantly undermines others “just being honest”
Individually, they seem minor but collectively, they erode trust.
The Grey Area = Difficult vs Toxic
Not all challenging employees are toxic…
· Some are unclear on expectations
· Some are overwhelmed
· Some need coaching
But toxic behaviour is different…
· It’s repeated
· It’s intentional or careless about impact
· And it damages morale beyond the individual interaction
The danger isn’t just the behaviour itself. It’s what happens when it’s left unaddressed.
What You Tolerate Becomes Your Culture
· Avoidance is common
· Leaders hope it will settle
· They protect strong performers
· They don’t want to escalate things
· They fear being “too harsh”
· But silence communicates permission
When poor behaviour isn’t corrected:
· Good people disengage
· Standards quietly lower
· Frustration builds under the surface
· Credibility weakens
High performance does not excuse low behaviour.
The Real Leadership Test
Managing toxic or attitude-driven behaviour isn’t comfortable. It requires:
· Clear conversations
· Specific examples
· Calm accountability
· Consistent standards
It also requires deciding whether someone is coachable… or corrosive.
Because not everyone who hits their target strengthens the team.
Capability Gets You Hired. Behaviour Keeps You.
Culture isn’t defined by values on a wall.
It’s defined by what leaders correct — and what they ignore.
Managing people is the hardest part of leadership.
But avoiding it is what creates the environments people eventually leave.
How do you manage multiple personalities and attitudes?
“High performance doesn’t excuse bad behaviour.”
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lorraine@simpli-u.com.au
Lorraine Singer
Director & Consultant, Simpli-U | Recruitment Solutions for the Novated Leasing, Salary Packaging & Automotive sectors | Australia-wide | Solutions all about ‘U’ (Clients & Candidates)