The Tribune

Every employee has their Achilles heel; an area of vulnerability where there is the potential to fall. Most know what it is and how to manage it, but it is often ignored and left to eat away like a cancer. For many in the workplace, particularly in the Bahamian context, there are common shortcomings that seem to strangle both the individual and the environment in which they perform.

Here are seven deadly sins that stagnate the effectiveness of employees. The first step to emotional health, wellness and increased productivity is to identify the toxins in our corporate and personal lives.

Taking everything personally

People are toxic to be around when they believe that everything that happens in life is a direct assault on them, or is in some way all about them. The reality is that what people say and do to you is much more about them than you. People’s reactions to you are about their filters, and their perspectives, wounds and experiences. Whether people think you are amazing, or believe you are the worst, again, it is more about them. Take each note of praise or comment of discontent with a grain of salt. Align your targets with the workplace standards and make your positive mark despite the noise in the marketplace.

Obsessing about negative thoughts

It is very hard to be around people who cannot, or will not, let go of negativity. They dwell on, and speak incessantly, about the terrible things that could happen and have happened; the slights they have suffered; and the unfairness of life. These people stubbornly refuse to see the positive side of life and the positive lessons from what is transpiring. Pessimism is one thing, but remaining perpetually locked in negative thoughts is another. Only seeing the negative, and operating from the viewpoint that everything is negative and against you, is a skewed way of thinking and living.

Treating yourself like a victim

Another toxic behaviour is non-stop complaining that fuels your sense of victimisation. Believing you are a victim, that you have no power or influence on the direction of your life, is a toxic stance that keeps you stuck and small. When you stop whining, and refuse to see yourself as a hapless victim of fate, chance or discrimination, then you will find that you are more powerful than you realised - but only if you choose to accept that reality.

Cruelty - lacking in empathy or putting yourself in other’s shoes

One of the most toxic and damaging behaviours – cruelty – stems from a total lack of empathy, concern or compassion for others. We see it every day online and in the media; people being devastatingly cruel and destructive to others just because they can. They tear people down online but in a cowardly way, using their anonymity as a weapon. Cruelty, backstabbing and ripping someone to shreds is toxic, and it hurts you as well as your target. If you find yourself backstabbing and tearing someone else down, stop in your tracks. Dig deep and find compassion in your heart, and realise that we are all the same.

Excessive reactivity

An inability to manage your emotions is toxic to everyone around you. We all know these people – men and women who explode over the smallest hiccup or problem, such as yelling at the bank teller for the long line, screaming at your assistant over the powerpoint error he made, or losing it with your child for spilling milk on the floor. If you find that you are overly reactive, and losing it at every turn, you need some outside assistance to help you gain control over your emotions and understand what is at the root of your emotional outbursts. There is more to it than appears on the surface. An outside perspective – and a new kind of support – is critical.

Super Star Mentality

There are large numbers of persons who have simply gotten drunk on their own punch. They believe somehow that they are God’s gift to their companies. Their qualifications, experiences, skills and competencies have rendered them infallible and worthy of canonisation. My advice is simple - get over yourself already. There is always someone with a greater depth of knowledge, experience and wherewithal. Do not fool yourself; holding on to pride and arrogance is the fastest way of losing the support of a team. This toxin is venomous and deadly.

Needing constant validation

Finally, people who constantly strive for validation and self-esteem by obsessing about achieving outward measures of success are exhausting to be around. These men and women who get caught up in the need to prove their worth over and over, and constantly want to “win” over their colleagues or peers, are toxic and draining.

Overly-attaching to how things have to look and be, and to achieving certain milestones and accomplishments rather than going with life in a more flexible, easy manner, can wear you out and bring everyone else around you down. There is a bigger picture to your life, and it is not about what you achieve or fail at today. It is about the journey, the process, the path - what you are learning and applying, how you are helping others, and the growing process you allow yourself to engage in.

NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at iferguson@bahamas.com.