How to Handle Toxic People at Work

At almost every seminar or speakingevent, someone asks me this question: How do we deal with toxic people atwork?

My answer is probably lesscomfortable than expected. Before labeling someone as “toxic,” it’s worthasking a few difficult questions. Could the situation be more complex than itseems? Is the other person simply under pressure? Or could there be somethingin the interaction that we ourselves unintentionally allow?

Sometimes what we call toxicbehavior is stress, misunderstanding, or a communication style shaped bysomeone’s background. Before escalating the situation, it may be worth having arespectful conversation, giving feedback, and allowing the other person toexplain their perspective.

Handling difficult people at workoften begins not with confrontation—but with curiosity, clarity, andboundaries.

#communication #leadership#workplacecommunication #conflictmanagement #emotionalintelligence#leadershipdevelopment #professionalgrowth #workplaceculture