If Swallowed, Do Not Induce Vomiting
Seth’s Blog today addressed the notion of toxic employees. That’s to say, people who view customers as an interruption and consider relationships with co-workers as something from which they take rather than contribute to.
While everyone has moments of petty self-centeredness, it’s the regularity and intensity of those moments that will shape how you affect others and how shape your environment as well.
When you are dissatisfied at work (whether for a day or a year), it’s very easy to become hazardous to your co-workers. I know I dampened some enthusiasm on my way out of a bad job or two.
Consider this: When you’re done with your bad mood or have moved to another company, what will be your contribution to the long-term attitudes and satisfaction of the friends you leave behind?
Poison. Not how you want to be remembered.
It only takes a few sips of strychnine to ruin a good thing.
Have you ever had a co-worker or boss bring you down with their own dissatisfaction?
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8 responses so far ↓
1 Tiffany // Aug 1, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Great reminder that attitude is important at work - I think it can get difficult for anyone to stay positive all the time. Negativity does seem to spread like a virus, but the good news is, cheeriness does too!
2 Anonymous // Aug 2, 2007 at 9:32 am
I love what Tiffany has to say. In work environments, it becomes clear pretty quickly who the people are to go to for a boost and who to stay away from for fear of being dragged down with them. The cheery ones are like beacons!
3 Chuck Westbrook // Aug 2, 2007 at 11:46 am
@Tiffany– Thanks, and very true.
4 Chuck Westbrook // Aug 2, 2007 at 11:48 am
@Anon– I thought you said, “the cheery ones are like bacon” at first. Beacon makes more sense, but bacon is much tastier.
5 Peggy // Aug 2, 2007 at 12:52 pm
The ones that bring you down are everywhere…not just in a work setting. My 16 year old daughter had a teammate on the competitive cheer squad that was a real downer…bad attitude and all. She quit the squad the other night and the next practice, my daughter (and the coaches) reported how wonderful practice went…no goofing off…no b*tching…just a great environment to practice in.
Shows you how one bad apple can spoil a whole bunch.
6 Chuck Westbrook // Aug 4, 2007 at 9:29 am
@Peggy– Apples shouldn’t be allowed to do cheer leading anyway, and your story is a perfect example of why.
7 Toxicity « This Vanilla Life // May 13, 2008 at 1:30 pm
[…] on May 13, 2008. In this post from I Hate Your Job, Chuck […]
8 Caroline // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:41 am
The big problem is when your BOSS is toxic. I spent over 4 years at a job where the boss was awful - always criticising and belittling people and no-one could ever measure up no matter how much we tried. Most of us were desperately trying to find other jobs. The only way I got out was by being injured in an accident! I was so glad to leave that place that it was worth all the pain and trauma! That was several years ago and I recently met one of my erstwhile colleagues from there who says that boss is still there and still sucking everyone dry. Horrible.
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