What to do when the toxicity comes from the top - Kim Williams’ leadership insights

Human resources specialist Kimberly Williams is extremely dedicated to building safe, inclusive cultures and she joins me to explore the challenges of dealing with toxic CEOs and workplaces, generously sharing her own experiences of speaking truth to power.?

Kimberly arrived at HR via an unconventional route: first as a history professor and then a diplomat in the US Foreign Service before falling ‘head over heels in love’ with HR and all the messy people stuff it brings.? We discuss the many ways a toxic workplace can show itself, the difficult power dynamics that impact managers, and the role of HR in shaping corporate culture. It’s a remarkable, candid conversation full of practical actions we can take to protect ourselves, our teams and our company cultures.?

Leadership language matters - from hard conversations to detailed notes

Why you should listen: How to challenge leadership complacency

• Hard but necessary leadership confrontation

We explore speaking truth to power

• Leadership actions in a time of conflict
• Courageous leadership conversations and their ripple effect
• Navigating leadership power dynamics

Take action

• Watch your words - this can diffuse a toxic situation
• Tip of the week is from People Stuff, of course, and it comes from the Q&A section of the book specifically about managing up and the tip is to assess a difficult situation and try to identify what is triggering the survival behaviours you are seeing?

About Kim Williams

Instrumental in fostering Walker Advertising’s inclusive and award-winning culture, Vice President Kim Williams is responsible for all aspects of people operations. Recognised for her integrity and interpersonal skills, Kim has also been acknowledged for her creative approaches to recruitment and retention. She has an unparalleled reputation for navigating turbulence and change as well as nurturing positive relationships with colleagues at all levels of an organisation. She began her HR career as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State where she tackled complex personnel challenges, negotiated at the United Nations in Vienna, and received awards for her precedent-setting work in diversity and inclusion. With a passion for community service, Kim lives Walker’s unique core values that holds social responsibility and innovation as foundations for growth.

About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zo? Routh

Zo? Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.?

She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zo? is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.

Zo?'s fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.

Zo? is the producer of the Zo? Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?”? and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.

Zo? is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.