Toxic Employees, Toxic Workplacesstatic.alanet.org/AC-2016-PDFs/CM24_Toxic_Employees... ·...

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May 22-25, 2016 Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, California Toxic Employees, Toxic Workplaces Presented by Mauricio Velasquez CM24 5/24/2016 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM The handouts and presentations attached are copyright and trademark protected and provided for individual use only.

Transcript of Toxic Employees, Toxic Workplacesstatic.alanet.org/AC-2016-PDFs/CM24_Toxic_Employees... ·...

Page 1: Toxic Employees, Toxic Workplacesstatic.alanet.org/AC-2016-PDFs/CM24_Toxic_Employees... · 2016-06-13 · Toxic Employees Toxic Work Environments What You DKDK Presented by: Mauricio

May 22-25, 2016 Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, California

Toxic Employees, Toxic

Workplaces

Presented by

Mauricio Velasquez

CM24

5/24/2016

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

The handouts and presentations attached are copyright and trademark

protected and provided for individual use only.

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Diversitydtg.com

Toxic Employees

Toxic Work EnvironmentsWhat You DKDK

Presented by:

Mauricio A. Velásquez, MBAPresident, CEO

The Diversity Training Group

692 Pine Street, Herndon, VA, 20170

[email protected]

For:

ALA 2016 Annual Conference

Diversitydtg.com

Meet Mauricio Velásquez

Mauricio Velásquez is the President and CEO of The Diversity Training Group (DTG) in Herndon, VA. Mauricio serves as a Diversity and Inclusion strategy consultant, trainer, sexual harassment prevention trainer, executive coach, mentoring trainer, and expert witness.

DTG’s clients include small and large law firms, general counsels, and other professional service firms as well as public and private organizations.

A partial list includes US Navy JAG, Jackson Lewis, Jones Walker, Nixon Peabody, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, Bryan Cave, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelthaus, Pillsbury, Constangy Brooks and Smith, Arent Fox, Baker Botts, and KPMG to name a few. IPMA, LMA, other ALA chapters, and many bar associations are clients.

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About Toxic Employees, Environments

What You Don’t

Know You Don’t

Know

(DKDK)

What You

Don’t Know

(DK)

What You Know

(K)

We all mean well but…

Intent

(What you meant to say)

MEAN TO SAY/DO

vs.

Impact

(What you actually said)

ACTIONS/RESULTS

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How did I come up with this topic?

I have specialized in “hostile audiences” during

my twenty years as a trainer and change agent

As a Sexual Harassment Prevention Trainer

As a Diversity Trainer and Expert Witness

Most recently as an Executive Coach where I am

asked “…Please meet with him/her 1:1 all day,

coach this person (do what you do in your

workshop with one of our people) and tell us

whether we fire or keep him/her!”

Why is this topic so popular?

Why is this topic so popular?

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In The News - EverydayShootings everywhere – Toxicity gone wild

Congress, politics, Middle East

Bad economy (insecurity, ambiguity) Economic times make employees do nutty things

They have always been this way – no surprise, no change – “accept me”People “don’t say anything”

Toxic person is the “last to know” – who me?

“People allowed to be awful” – mostimportant – organization knew

Toxic person “has a huge book of business” and is untouchable

My Favorite Toxic Participants

“I will take anybody but that guy Mauricio”

“I don’t give a flying (blank) what this is about, I am not interested!”

My “Alaskan Moment of Truth”

“You can’t train all of us, some of us you will have to kill!”

“You must be a *%$#$ Jew!” (my favorite emails)

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Agenda Today

Understand the toxic employee

Understand the toxic work environment

Learn how to deal with toxic employees

and toxic work environment

Relationship between Toxicity,

Engagement and High Performance

Build a tool kit/skill kit and plan of action

Mauricio’s Mission

• Provoke Thought

• Facilitate Discussion and Learning

• Surprise You/Entertain You - Edutain

• Add Value

• Provide Subject Matter Expertise

• Make it interactive and “harness talent in this room”

• #1 Ground Rule: PARTICIPATE - Ask Questions!!!

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Toxic Employee

• When you hear the phrase - “toxic

employee” what pops into your head?

• “Toxic Workplace” – what pops into your

head?

Toxic Employee• Always unhappy and negative but they don’t

keep their misery to themselves.

• Why? Because misery loves company!

• Body language tells it all

• Glass is always half empty

• Incredible memory – remembers stuff from

years ago

• Love to say “Not my job!”

• Recruit people to “join them, share their views”

• Always “looking for proof” – long memory

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TE is always looking “for proof”

Stereotypes: All of us must begin to address and minimize the many

stereotypes that exist within our organization.

HOW WE BREAK DOWN

STEREOTYPES

HOW WE BUILD

STEREOTYPES

Group/Categorize/Label

Form opinion (judge); always negative

Look for “proof”

Examples: “See, I told you so.”

“You’re not like the rest of them.”

“You’re the exception to the rule.”

S

T E

R E

O

T Y

P E

S

Does the comment reflect knowledge, skills, or

abilities necessary to complete the job?

Is the person thought of as part of a group first rather

than as an individual?

Do your past experiences with members of this

person’s group affect the interaction?

Does the comment hold

true for everyone in the

group?

S

T

E

R E

O

T Y

P E

S

Toxic Employee (Continued)

• Can also be bigoted – negativity is projected towards a

particular group – gender, race, age, sexual orientation,

religion, management or new management

• Can be a bully – big, loud, angry (back of my mind –

potential for violence in the workplace)

• Always recruiting!.... Always approach new hires

– “Let me tell you who to watch out for! You with

me?”

– “Get that smile of your face – don’t you know where

you work? Slow it down. You are making the rest of

us look bad!” (Encourage mediocrity!)

• Ultimate risk – sabotage, violence

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TE “Poisons” the work environment• First – we all know who they are!

• But what do we do about them?

– Send them to individual 1:1 coaching or

– Train everyone – “dip everybody” and sometimes the TE does not even show up

– Or do nothing until something happens – what I call a “moment of truth”

– Too many organizations contact us with a reactionary posture or “a real sense of urgency”

– Don’t wait – sometimes it is too late

– Ignoring these issues/this person – does not mean they go away!

The Perfect Toxic Storm• Toxic employee or manager is a bully (well

known)

• They have a false sense of security – they have never been challenged

• How does TE interpret silence of peers?

• Peers are avoiders of conflict or they expect “Manager to do something!” BUT– Manager is not skilled to deal with TE

– Could be a “Reluctant Manager”

– Manager is the smartest and promoted for their technical expertise but they don’t have the interpersonal/human relations skills = DKDK and they MEAN WELL

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What does all of this toxicity have in common?

What DTG keeps coming across..

Massive Conflict Avoidance!

No cost-benefit analysis – cost of doing nothing was not calculated

If we deny the issues exist

If we look the other way – these issues go away bythemselves or

If we look the other way – these issues will just “work themselves out”

Total break down in trust

They don’t go away, they fester, they escalate!

Do we trust toxic individuals?

What is trust?

What does it look like?

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Trust Defined“Trust means confidence. The opposite of trust is

suspicion. When you trust people, you have

confidence in them – in their integrity, and in their

abilities.

When you distrust people, you are suspicious of them

– of their integrity, their agenda, their capabilities

or their track record.” S.M.R. Covey

Toxic Individuals are often suspicious and spread

suspicion throughout their ranks and create and

nurture and welcome long time unresolved conflict

because it “maintains the toxicity.”

Stephen M. R. Covey – in his book: The Speed of Trust talks

about Trust - Taxes and Dividends

When there is high trust – there is an actual dividend for this

trust – tasks, work, progress, cooperation, collaboration -

success is easier

When there is low or nonexistent trust – there is an actual

tax – tasks, work, is harder, indifference, bogged down,

sabotage

I highly recommend you read this book for your employer,

for your kids, for your families and jobs, of course!

Trust & Conflict – Go Hand in Hand

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Economics of Trust

Quality of Task Cost of Task

High Trust

Organization

Low Trust

Organization

Diversitydtg.com

When you hear this word - what “pops” into

your head?

What is most common? What happens all too

often? What is the cost, price, rest of team

pays?

Toxic Employee create conflict

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To come into opposition; to collide or to differ.

Conflict occurs when two or more parties believe

that what each wants is incompatible with what

the other wants.

What challenges all of us is we think conflict is

negative – yes, but…

What if your view of conflict is neutral - negative or

positive. (conflict is a constant, an opportunity)

HOW CONFLICT IS MANAGED IS

WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE!

Definition of Conflict

How Conflict is Managed – What Counts

What are the positive

outcomes of conflict

if it is managed well?

We deal with it right

away

We will not let the

conflict escalate

What are the potential

negative outcomes if

conflict isn’t managed

well?

We know it is there, but we

ignore it

Hoping it goes away by

itself

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When Conflict is Managed WellExperience, research shows…..

Creativity inspired

Produce a better end result

Generate commitment and buy-in

Provide a variety of alternatives

Misunderstandings are reduced

People know what is expected of them

Information is shared

Information is clear

Trust is built

When Conflict is Not ManagedExperience and research shows….

Frustration

Tension

Confusion

Decreased productivity

Increased misunderstandings

People do not know what is expected of them and tasks

may not be completed according to expectation

Reduce trust

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Toxicity and Engagement

Toxic Environments

Demotivating

Disengagement is norm

Active disengagement

is encouraged

Allow unresolved

conflict to fester

Low performing

Lo to nonexistent trust

Can never be “World

Class”

Healthy Environments

Motivating

Engagement is norm

Active engagement is

role modeled

Identify and address

conflict

High performing

Hi trust

Can become “World

Class”

Toxic EEs kill engagement, morale

Respect and Value Each Other

Do not be toxic

Confront Conflict, Build Trusting Relationships

Address toxicity

Be More Engaged

Perform at Higher Level and we will

all be happier, healthier

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3 Levels of Engagement

ENGAGED (leading, doing, inspiring others, +)

NOT ENGAGED (checked out, indifferent,

slightly toxic - )

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED (highly toxic, very -)

Think of your organization…

What percentage of your employees are

engaged ( ),

not engaged ( ),

actively disengaged ( )?

Employee Engagement Is Influenced by

Toxicity

Source: Gallup Consulting

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S.M.R. Covey says….

“The ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore

trust with all stakeholders – customers/clients,

business partners, coworkers – is the key

leadership competency of the new global economy.”

“Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires

trust.”

“Toxic individuals, toxic workplaces kill employee

engagement, lower morale and crush

productivity!” - MV

So how do we create a more…

Effective

Respectful

Trusting

Highly Engaged

…work environment and workplace culture?

Or, a less Toxic Workplace?

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Engaging Your Employees – Building

Trust, Addressing Toxicity

1) Find out what motivates your direct reports

2) Hire and keep people who are good at their work

3) Get people working on what’s important

4) Explain and train

5) Let people work

6) Be generous with praise and show it

7) Expect excellence

8) Care about people and show it

9) Treat employees with respect

10) Lead by example

11) Build around your mission and core values and hold all

accountable

Does this improve engagement?

From Supervisors/Managers/Leaders in my recent travels…

o “You should just be happy you have a job”

o “When I want your opinion I will give it to you!”

o “You don’t get it – I am management, you are not!”

o “When you have been here 20 years – then you can speak.”

o “You must be new here, we don’t do it that way here.”

Themes:

Highly disrespectful, degrading, belittling, demeaning

Hostile, angry, threatening

If speaking “across difference” potentially illegal

Pro status quo, anti-change

Organization knew they were bullies and did nothing

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Trust Commitment Contract (Anti-toxicity)

1) I will make an effort to find out what motivates

each of my direct reports.

2) I will give employees frequent, positive feedback

and appreciate constructive criticism.

3) I will take the time to listen carefully to people’s

ideas, stories, opinions and concerns.

4) I will show support for our goals and objectives

and explain them to my staff.

5) I will show support and enthusiasm for my

subordinates.

SIGN_________________ (share)

Trust Commitment Contract continued

6) I will recognize the signs of stress and overload

in myself and in the people I manage.

7) I will encourage people to come up with new

ideas and ways to approach a project.

8) I will offer everyone on my team opportunities

to learn and grow at work.

9) I will promote a diversity of values, opinions,

and work styles and believe these are essential

to business and work success.

10)I will speak up and hold all accountable.

SIGN_______________ (share)

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Now for Specific Tools

I want to give you, build you a tool kit, a

skill kit

These tools work if you use them!

It is up to you – to use them!!

Approach is Key

PERSON

SEPARATE

BEHAVIOR

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Start-Stop Coaching Tip

Start with a Positive

Please stop_______________________________________(describe negative/unproductive behavior)

Start_____________________________________________(describe new, more appropriate/positive behavior)

Continue_________________________________________(describe ongoing positive behavior)

End with a Positive

I- Message Coaching Statement

(Start with a Positive)

When you ___________________, I feel ______________________(describe behavior) (impact of behavior)

I would prefer ___________________________________________(new behavior – more appropriate/productive)

OR

I feel _____________________, when you ____________________(impact of behavior) (describe behavior)

I would prefer ___________________________________________(new behavior – more appropriate/productive)

OR

When I see ______________, it makes me feel ____________________(describe behavior) (impact of behavior on you/group)

I would prefer _______________________________________________(new behavior – more appropriate, more productive)

(End with a Positive)

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Addressing Conflict – Builds Trust

Conflict is just a problem to be solved

Step Action Example

Identify and agree on

the problem

(consensus) Ask the

right questions.

Ask for the facts

Verify the information

Decide what else you need to know

“Help me understand exactly”

“Let me make sure this is recorded

correctly”

“I will be able to help you better if I

know…”

Conduct problem-

cause analysis to

identify a specific

problem and its cause

Restate the problem in simple terms

Get agreement on the problem and

its importance/impact

“So, the basic issue is…”

“It seems we agree it is important to

fix this because…”

Identify

solutions/alternatives

Ask what can be done to solve the

problem

Suggest other options for

consideration

Tell them what you can do

“What ideas do you have on how this

can be fixed?”

“In similar situations we have..”

“I really wish we could do exactly

what you suggested. However,

according to…, we must…”

?

Steps of Problem-Solving

Step Action Example

Implement solutions/take

action with the help of the

customer

Ask for their cooperation

Tell them what you will do

Suggest how they can help, now

and the next time

“I’ll need your help to…”

“Here is what I can do…”

“To get this resolved quickly,

I’ll need you to…, and if this

should happen again, please…”

End with an agreement and a

thank you. Monitor and follow

up on the situation

Summarize what will be done,

and by whom

Thank the customer for

cooperation and help

Promise to follow up to ensure

the solution really worked

“Can I assume that we agree

on…?”

“Thank you for being so

cooperative in helping us to

solve this problem.”

“I will call you in a week to be

sure the situation is resolved.”

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Favorite Quotes

"Folks are usually about as happy

as they make their minds up to be.”

- Abraham Lincoln

“You cannot talk yourself out of what you

behaved your way into.”

- Stephen Covey

In Closing….

Ultimately it comes down to this one point

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY – we all have a

shared responsibility, a responsibility to each

other, to hold each other accountable and to be

the best we can be.

4

4

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Action Plan

• How can I create a more productive

and less toxic work environment?

• How can I use what I have learned

in this class in my organization and

beyond?

THANK YOU!

FOR……..

YOUR TIME

YOUR CONSIDERATION

and your

PARTICIPATION

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For more information…

CONTACT:

The Diversity Training Group

692 Pine Street

Herndon, VA 20170

Tel. 703.478.9191 Cell 703.850.1145

Fax 703.709.0591

[email protected]

Mauricio Velásquez, MBA – President,

CEO

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Your opinion matters!

Please take a moment now to evaluate this

session.