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The Silent Seed of Toxicity: Why Avoidance Is the Real Culprit in Leadership Teams

  • Writer: brandantquach
    brandantquach
  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read
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Before your boss was toxic, they were someone’s top-performing colleague.

Praised. Promoted. Protected.


So how does a star employee become the leader everyone dreads?

It rarely starts with shouting or sabotage. It starts with silence.

Somewhere along the way, a manager avoided a courageous conversation. Maybe it felt uncomfortable. Maybe they didn’t want to “rock the boat.” Maybe they assumed the behavior would fix itself.

It didn’t.


Unchecked behavior—small dismissive comments, subtle undermining, ego-driven decisions—slowly erodes trust, morale, and performance. And when leaders fail to intervene early, those cracks widen until they fracture the culture.

Avoidance is the root of toxicity. Not the loud blow-up in a meeting. Not the passive-aggressive email. Those are symptoms. The disease begins when leaders choose comfort over courage.



The Cost of Silence

When toxicity grows unchecked, the price is steep:


  • Culture: A single toxic leader can undo years of effort building psychological safety.

  • Retention: High performers leave first. They know their worth.

  • Reputation: Word spreads fast—internally and externally.

  • Results: Distrust kills collaboration, and collaboration drives performance.


For organizations investing in executive search or leadership recruitment, this is critical: hiring the right leader is only half the battle. Sustaining a healthy leadership culture requires ongoing accountability.



Managerial Courage: The Antidote

If you lead people, you hold the power—and the responsibility—to stop toxicity before it takes root. That means:


  • Addressing issues early: Don’t wait for a pattern to become a problem.

  • Being specific: Name the behavior, not the person.

  • Holding the line: Protect your team’s culture like it’s your most valuable asset—because it is.


Leadership isn’t just about vision and strategy. It’s about the hard conversations that prevent small cracks from becoming chasms.

So ask yourself:Where am I avoiding discomfort at the expense of my team’s health?Because silence isn’t neutral. It’s a choice. And it always comes at a cost.


A Framework for Courageous Conversations

Here’s a practical structure to help leaders—and HR professionals—start the conversation with challenging employees and set expectations:


1. Prepare with Clarity

  • Identify the specific behavior (not personality).

  • Gather examples and the impact on the team or results.


2. Start with Intent

  • Open with your purpose: “I want to have this conversation because I value your contribution and want us to succeed together.”


3. Describe, Don’t Diagnose

  • Use facts, not labels: “In the last two meetings, I noticed interruptions that prevented others from sharing their ideas.”


4. Explain the Impact

  • Connect behavior to outcomes: “When this happens, it limits collaboration and slows decision-making.”


5. Invite Perspective

  • Ask: “How do you see it?” Listen actively. This builds trust and reduces defensiveness.


6. Set Expectations

  • Be clear on what needs to change and why: “Moving forward, I need you to allow others to finish before responding.”


7. Offer Support

  • Ask what they need to succeed: “What would help you make this shift?”


8. Follow Up

  • Schedule a check-in. Accountability is key.


Final Thought:

If you’re a leader, don’t wait for toxicity to become a headline. Start the conversation today. Courage isn’t easy—but neither is rebuilding a broken culture.


At Integria Consulting, a leading executive search firm in Montreal, we help hiring leaders and recruiters align from day one. Whether you're hiring for a VP HR, COO, or plant manager executive search role, we make sure your recruitment process starts with clarity — and ends with the right leader.

 
 
 

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