Is toxic behaviour in the workplace something you have experienced, either directly or indirectly? It can destroy morale, ruin productivity, damage business relationships and make the workplace an uncomfortable, unhappy place to be.

During the course of your professional career you will establish several strong work relationships, many of which will be positive. However, the working environment can be challenging and stressful, pushing us to the limits, and this can lead to some people exhibiting toxic behaviour.

Many of us will have been the subject of, or at least witnessed, incidents where the behaviour of another creates a toxic, negative environment at work. If we are entirely honest with ourselves, we can probably all think of at least one occasion where our behaviour has let us down and could be perceived as ‘toxic’ by colleagues.

There are, however, ways to avoid such behaviour. If we can achieve this the result is a better working environment for our colleagues, employees and ourselves.

Here are a few tips on how to avoid toxic behaviour in the workplace.

Be Receptive to Criticism

Sometimes we can be emotional about work and have a hard time taking criticism. This can prompt a negative reaction and attitude.

Some people take criticism the wrong way, misinterpreting it as a personal attack. You need to differentiate between the two and separate feedback on your work or performance from an attack on your personality.

Remember that in every job there are tasks to be completed, and that is what matters. Sometimes what you do won’t hit the necessary mark and your client, boss or teammates will need to say so. They are doing so for the good of the project and the business, not to criticise you personally.

Not being able to accept criticism will limit your ability to develop your skills. In fact, sound criticism is crucial to develop as a professional, as it allows you to improve your skills.

Be Careful with Criticism

If you are the one handing out the criticism, especially as a team leader, it is equally important take care of how you do it.

Your motivation should be to help the individual develop or a project move forward. If you are motivated by a personal dislike of the individual, rather than a fair-minded evaluation of their performance, then your criticism is contribution to a toxic environment.

Carefully choose your language, your timing and the location – do they need to be humiliated in front of peers? – to ensure your feedback is positive and constructive.

Put your Emotions Aside

Work is usually an objective matter; you are there with a purpose and you have well-defined goals.

Mixing personal emotions with work can be a recipe for disaster, so putting some distance between the two can be essential. How many times have you seen someone bring the emotions of a home life upheaval into the office, and behave in an unpleasant or toxic way as a result? Not because of their work or colleagues, but because they haven’t separated personal emotions from the workplace.

This does not mean there is an expectation that workers should act as robots. Emotional investment is important, as is expressing your personal emotions, but there needs to be a rational understanding of the difference between what is happening in your personal life and where you work, and that it simply isn’t fair to ‘take it out’ on colleagues.

As leader, you can help minimise toxic behaviour in the workplace by taking a pastoral responsibility for the emotional well-being of your team. Ensuring your door is open and that they feel comfortable sharing personal issues, and how they are affecting them, can act as a pressure valve. Rather than letting emotions build up until they impact the business, let them share.

Lead by Example

As a leader, you set the tone. Employees will take their lead from you, including on the type of behaviour deemed acceptable in the workplace.

Whether you own the company or lead a small team, you should set an example. Avoid exhibiting toxic behaviour and give examples of the right way to behave will show employees what is expected of them.

In addition, leading by example will foster trust and strengthen working relationships.

Be Empathetic

Empathy is among the most important qualities we can have and it can be extremely helpful when it comes to work. A lack empathy in the workplace could be a starting point for a toxic culture between co-workers.

You may feel a colleague, or employee, is taking a situation, personal or professional, too seriously and making too much out of it. That’s your opinion, and you are entitled to it, just as they are entitled to their feelings.

Failing to acknowledge the validity of their feelings, even if you disagree, creates tension, antipathy, and a toxic atmosphere. This will result in decreased productivity and unhappiness.

Before you criticise another, put yourself in their shoes for a moment and try to show empathy for their situation. As the saying goes: ‘Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.’

Respect Other People’s Opinions

This is crucial to avoiding toxic behaviour in the workplace and underpins most of the points above.

We all have different opinions, stemming from our lived experience and view of the world. Being able to respect contrary opinions without displaying toxic behavior is of the utmost importance.

You don’t have to agree, but you do need to be respectful of alternative ideas.

You should also appreciate they can be beneficial in the workplace. Not only can contrary opinions enable you to review your own beliefs and ideas, but different viewpoints can enrich the business, offering new ways of looking at problems and solutions.

Differing opinions challenge preconceived ideas, and that’s one way to drive a business forward.

And remember, we are not always right. Acknowledging this is important to avoiding toxic behaviour.