What will it take for us to stop hurting each other and ourselves in the workplace?
If you are a helping professional, you have likely experienced the toxic work environment – maybe, you’re in one right now. You know – high workload demands, lack of time and funding, too much paperwork, disgruntled colleagues, waiting lists, and hard to please supervisors. And we haven’t even touched on the often traumatizing and painful stories that you witness in your helping relationships – the heart of your work.
But, it isn’t all bad, is it? You might meet some of your best friends at work. In addition to working with people as they navigate life’s challenges, if you’re paying attention, you may also witness the indescribable strength of human resiliency. You are in a vocation that holds so many opportunities for expansion, growth, self-realization, and above all, the ability to be of service in the world. That is powerful stuff!
If you do find yourself feeling the stress and potential burnout that can run rampant in a toxic work environment, there are some things you can do to move out of survival mode and use the adversity to thrive right where you are.
Accept Deep Personal Responsibility
What will it take for us to realize that we create our reality? If you don’t like yours, you can choose something else.
No matter what, if you are part of a toxic workplace, you are making some contribution to the current state of affairs. Now, hear me out. I’m not talking about laying blame or looking for fault here. Organizational culture is created and everyone involved contributes in one way or another. It might look like the trouble stems from one or two people or a small group of individuals especially if they appear to be the ones holding power and authority.
But, everyone has a role to play and there is always a choice. You cannot take responsibility for the behavior of another, you can however, assume 100% responsibility for your own at all times, no matter what. Think about the energy you bring with you to work each day. Consider how you respond when someone speaks to you in a manner that is upsetting. What do you do or say when a colleague speaks out of turn about another co-worker or supervisor? When you have a problem with someone, do you approach that person directly for resolution? If you are tired or sick or just need to step back, do you ask for what you need?
I know you are probably thinking that the nature of the toxic workplace makes managing all these situations really challenging. We fear repercussions. We worry about losing friends. We don’t want to feel uncomfortable. And these are all valid concerns.
Start with small things. Start with setting your personal intention for your behavior in the workplace and work from there. Let your behavior be intrinsically motivated as opposed to reactionary.
Quite often when we think about responsibility, we cross the line from freedom to blame. Resist the urge to lay blame – on yourself or anyone else. This is not about fault. There is no room here for identifying what anyone is or has done wrong up to this point. Instead, start from the point you are at right now. What step can you take full responsibility for right now – the one that is motivated by your deepest intention in this moment?
Let’s get started!
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