Winning Together: Saying No To Toxic Leadership

Hey, you! ???? Welcome back to The Monthly Hustle! 

This month celebrates all sorts of things: May flowers (not the boat), Mental Health Awareness Month, and National Inventor’s Month. But I’m not going to talk about any of those…

Instead, I’m tackling the health of employees across the WORLD! You know I don’t do small things, people!

It’s Global Employee Health and Fitness month in May alongside everything else. A day where employers and employees can celebrate and promote healthy living. It’s been around since 1989. So, why have we never really heard of it or taken part? 

Well, I’m here to shake things up, as usual!

When I think of global employee health, I think of overall wellness, not just physical health. As leaders, we have the opportunity to not only impact our employee’s life at work but their mental well-being. How? By saying no to toxic leadership and patterns that aren’t serving anyone. 

Also, I’ll be sharing an exciting chance for you to be a part of a discussion all about going global! ??

Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic?

Britney Spears said it best. Most people, and leaders, who are toxic may not know that they’re the problem. 

Toxic leadership is “a process in which leaders, by dint of their destructive behavior and/or dysfunctional personal characteristics, inflict serious and enduring harm on their followers, their organizations, and non-followers, alike.” 

There are six characteristics you can usually identify:

• Autocratic
• Narcissistic
• Manipulative
• Intimidating
• Overly Competitive
• Discriminatory

Our new era of reality, where it feels like we’re facing toxicity and darkness head-on, is a tough one to live in. 

But where there’s darkness there is light! ?

I’m challenging you to stand up and speak out against toxic leadership if it’s safe for you to do so. Together we can bring the dark toward the light and illuminate a better global working environment for ourselves and our future workforce.

Harboring Healthy Leadership Styles

Wondering if you’re dealing with a toxic environment or if you’re being a terrible boss? Don’t worry, if you care enough to wonder that’s a good sign you’re probably not. So what makes a good leader then? I thought I’d ask one of the people on my team.

“Sarah is a good leader because she’s empowering! Her work in the DEI world is so inspiring, it makes me want to seek change, too. She encourages me to think freely, creatively, and independently. She first sees the human in me, not just someone ‘on the payroll’. No matter what, professional or personal, I feel like I can come to her with a problem because she keeps an open line of non-judgmental communication and truly cares what’s going on.”

So, sometimes, all you have to do is ask and you’ll get the answer you need.

But one of the biggest signs that you’re dealing with a toxic leader is growth. Toxicity usually leads to turnover. That’s how I knew I was doing something right. Let’s Talk Supply Chain has grown from a team of 2 to 12+ in the last year alone! 

Winning Together, Victoryus

When I started my company Victoryus, I didn’t choose the name lightly. It comes from mashing the words ‘victory’ and ‘us’ because together we can all win and find victory.

Collaboration is the future of business. And without respecting the collaborative efforts of a team, a leader will find it hard to achieve the victory they’re craving. 

For myself, collaboration really is key. On my podcast, I consistently partner with companies. But to help that podcast stay running is a team of business owners. I employ an entire group of freelancers, who are running their own business. When I win, they win. And when they win, I win. Together, we find victory!

Get Involved with Global Business

The world is getting smaller as technology increases. And as businesses reach new heights, they’re moving on to bigger and better things–global business.

But global business and off-shoring come with risks, culturally and of course, financially. That’s exactly what I’ll be talking about in an upcoming webinar. I’m joined by a chief financial officer with tons of experience in this field. You don’t get many chances to pick a brain like this, so save your spot before registration ends!

Be A Part of Visible Change

My team and I could not be more delighted to tell you that The Blended Pledge has received more than $15,000 in recent donations and grants! How about joining the wave of collaboration so we can help diverse voices join the supply chain stage?

Thank you so much to all of our recent donors. We can’t do this without you. I’m looking forward to the changes we will see—together!

And if you can’t donate now, you can always join us for the Blended podcast. Where we talk about everything you’re not supposed to talk about in the workplace, professionals and peers have a safe place to speak out, share, and heal. Give it a listen, like, and subscribe to join the movement of change. 

That’s it for May. I’ll see you next time. ????