Craig T. Owens

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To you the term “silent killer” might conjure visions of a lone assassin from a spy movie, or perhaps more mundane but equally deadly things like high blood pressure or carbon monoxide leaks. In today’s episode Greg and I are discussing toxic behaviors that creep into the workplace. They aren’t quite as deadly as the ones listed above, but can still cause massive anger, frustration, and discord in your organization. Join us as we discuss some of the most prevalent toxins we’ve seen, and highlight how you as the leader are responsible for being the safeguard against them.

• [0:20] Toxic things can sneak into our workplace unless we proactively look for them.
• [1:35] Leaders need to be honest with their team so their team feels they can be honest with them in return.
• [3:43] Greg and I discuss some of the toxic behaviors we have seen that create problems in the workplace.
• [3:54] -Gossip
• [4:51] -Office Politics
• [6:42] -Negative Competition
• [8:37] -Negativity
• [10:20] -Bureaucracy
• [12:46] -Braggadocio
• [14:12] -Bashing
• [14:46] Toxicity will come to every organization. We as leaders shine in the way we deal with it.
• [17:47] When I wrote Shepherd Leadership, I spent two chapters discussing the balance between confidence and humility because of how important it is.
• [19:08] One of our main jobs as leaders is to develop others, but toxicity squashes that.
• [20:26] A coach can come alongside you to be the “detector” for the silent killers that might be lurking in your organization.

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