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Management Muddle: Coping with a toxic environment

What can I do to not completely lose it?

I work in a county government and have a manager with little supervisory skills and even fewer leadership skills. Even though my credentials are better than hers, I have been fairly obvious that I do not want her job. Just a few things she has done, designed to undercut my position, have involved: providing only partial information, keeping me out of the loop on my projects only to expect full knowledge later, canceling my training (by cc email) while sending others many places for training, having a "favorite" in our small department, and letting her personality differences enter and disrupt our workplace. She has even "written me up" to HR with untruthful statements, but upper management has closed ranks to protect their liability and, while polite, has been of no assistance whatsoever--even though I had been requesting attention for some time prior to things becoming as bad as they are now.

I am seeking employment outside this organization, as I do not believe this organization has any concept of how to treat employees, but I have to suffer through it for a while until something materializes. The organization itself is dysfunctional and thrives on stick rather than carrot tactics. I have more qualifications than many in higher positions, but this is a well-known backscratching state and I have no relatives or friends in very influential positions.

This is the first time in more than 20 years of employment I have seen a place this bad. What can I do to not completely lose it while I work hard at going elsewhere?

Signed,
Muddled Manager
___________________________________________________________

Dear Muddled Manager,

One of the key insights we gain with experience is that we thrive in certain work environments and not in others. Sometimes this is a difficult realization, since it means we have to say "no" to some organizations/contexts in which we'd like to work or that have attractive elements for us but are not an overall fit. It does sound as if you and this organization are a mismatch, so pursuing other options makes good sense.

In the meanwhile, this is an excellent time for you to engage in some introspection: take stock of your life and career goals. How do you want to spend your days? With whom? Doing what? In what physical environment? In what size organization? Consider working with a career coach so you a) find a way to use your skills and talents and b) identify and avoid toxic environments.

In challenging situations, one side is never blameless. No matter how difficult, it’s important to recognize your role in the problem. What part of the problem did you create or contribute to? Can you change your behavior in a way that will bring different results? Can you change your outlook or expectations? You have to recognize what you can and cannot control. Until you take responsibility for your own behavior, you will most likely end up in a similarly frustrating position.

What lessons can you take away from this? How will you change? Are there others (who stand outside of this problem) who can give you objective feedback that might help you see yourself more clearly?

Another key realization we gain as we work in more organizations and more positions, although dismaying at first, is that we can't change a system by staying in it and being angry or unappreciated. Unless you are in a position of significant power, you cannot change this system by staying. Power comes in many forms – position power, political power, group power, expertise, etc. Ask yourself if you truly have enough power, AND good intentions for this organization and its mission, to make the needed changes. If not, you probably need to move on or come to terms with the organization's dysfunction and get into a positive frame of mind about it. Being upset or angry will ultimately affect your health – not a good long-term situation.

I would also recommend reading Stephen Covey’s The 8th Habit to help you discover a different perspective. In addition, watch our newsletter and website for excerpts from Laura's forthcoming book, The Five Rules of Life. Elements of that work might be helpful to you as well.

Remember to follow this conversation for additional comments and suggestions, and please feel free to write the "Management Muddle" group again.

Best of luck,
Laura Freebairn-Smith, Principal
and Paul Crotty, Senior Associate

Also take a look at these additional resources:

"Work Matters" blog by Bob Sutton, Phd, Professor of Management Science, Stanford University.

"How to Fix a Toxic Workplace," June 8, 2010, Inc.

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Got a Management Muddle? Ask the Expert.

On this blog and on our website we've created a place for managers to go to ask for advice on management challenges they're facing in their organizations. You can ask a question and receive an answer from an organizational development expert: Laura Freebairn-Smith and our team of associates.

We've received our first question from a discouraged manager working in a county government. The Q&A follows.  

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