The Culture Nerds - A Leadership Podcast

🗣️ Audio Blog: 7 types of leader that create toxic workplace culture

Simon Thiessen & Kirralea Walkerden
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I finished my presentation and the CEO beamed at me.

That’s brilliant,’ he said. ‘It’s great to have confirmation that we are doing all the right things.

He smiled around at the rest of the assembled executive team, stopping only just short of reaching up to pat himself on the back. Meanwhile, one executive rolled their eyes at another, while three more stared down at the table.

The presentation was called Demystifying and Transforming Workplace Culture. I had offered to do it for the executive team after meeting the People & Culture manager, who was now staring fixedly at the table, at an event the previous month. She had confided in me that the organisation was having significant issues with accountability, performance, morale and retention. This toxic workplace culture was flowing through to bottom line performance. Yet here was the CEO proudly proclaiming that their culture was remarkably good.

Everyone else sitting at that table wanted to call ‘bullshit’. But they either didn’t dare or knew it would be pointless, so they sat in silence which the CEO assumed to signify agreement.

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