6 Toxic Organizational Behaviors

It's true that people are often hired for their talents and fired for their behavior.

Toxic organizational behavior (TOB) can seriously undermine an organization's productivity and success.

So, what are toxic traits?

The traits of a toxic person include?unsupportive and unpleasant behavior, being manipulative, judgmental, controlling, and self-centered. Such people can be the cause of various negative feelings and emotions that you may be experiencing like depression, anxiousness, worthlessness, and unhappiness.

Here are six varieties of TOB that are particularly damaging:

1. Aggressiveness
2. Narcissism
3. Lack of Credibility
4. Passivity
5. Disorganization
6. Resistance to Change

But why do organizations keep getting infected with toxic behavior?

There are three main reasons:

1. Interviews have a weak detection sensitivity for these behaviors.
2. References are often unreliable.
3. Managers have difficulty detecting and dealing effectively with TOB.

Prevention is the best strategy for dealing with toxic behavior. Here are some best practices based on the traditional three-level prevention model:

1. Primary Prevention: Prevent people with these traits from being hired in the first place. Use approaches like self-assessment instruments and "360 degree" observer ratings.
2. Secondary Prevention: Detect problems early and intervene to minimize their harmful impact. This can involve providing education and coaching about toxic behaviors during the first weeks of employment, as well as early detection through behavioral assessments.
3. Tertiary Prevention: If all attempts at primary and secondary prevention are ineffective, let the employee go before even more damage is done.

By implementing these prevention strategies, organizations can minimize the impact of toxic behavior and create a more positive and productive workplace culture.

Allison Dunn is the head executive coaching and owner at?Deliberate Directions?a Boise Idaho based firm.