Cultural Toxicity

Cultural Toxicity (Denial of the cost)

How real is this issue in this modern age of leadership and more importantly what is the impact and cost to our businesses from this bedfellow.

It is reported that due to the pressures of modern-day business and the relentless pressure to achieve satisfaction from our owners that “cultural toxicity” is not only alive and well, but appears to be thriving, costing many businesses suggested up to 24% performance reduction through their teams.

Let’s not get too caught up in figures as I believe from my surveys that this could be a lot higher and, worst of all, that it has become so entrenched that many leaders, when questioned, believed that this was not the case in their teams or companies. Sadly, when checking the facts a significant percentage were supposedly shocked to find that they were presiding over exactly what they first denied, the dreaded “cultural toxicity”.

I don’t believe the denial in most cases, as these intelligent, smart, well-educated leaders are themselves subject to such a regime from their shareholders and the like, so its little wonder that for themselves to survive, they adopt and transfer to their teams the same toxic platform as the norm, for modern day relentless pursuit of more with less.

So, what are some of the main indicators of such a culture. Here are my top ten :

1.     Fear of saying to senior leaders exactly what is thought by team members who fear they may be singled out as disruptors and not aligned to agreed corporate goals

2.     Anxiety/stress with often increased absence

3.     Lethargy/Low Morale

4.     Employee turnover

5.     Lack of individual and team performance/productivity

6.     Revenue loss

7.     Team dissatisfaction

8.     Rebellion (in extreme cases)

9.     Them and us culture

10.  Pushing through treacle (as often experienced by the leader)

A simple survey is all that it takes to identify your overall “toxicity score” and as often is the case great insight into how to re-boot your culture before it drains you, them and your profit.

If you are interested in knowing your score and what might be done about it, then please reach out to discuss your ”toxicity culture scoring”.

You never know, you might just find that extra much needed revenue that eluded you in 2024.