Everyone wants to see themselves as the office hero. You’re fighting the good fight. You’re setting the standard for performance. To everyone around you, you represent the shining beacon of corporate excellence.
That’s the version you have running in your head. But what if that’s not what everyone else sees? What if your coworkers see all those fights as petty and experience your adherence to standards as trivial nitpicking?
Well, then, it might be time for another question: are you the toxic person at work?
Sometimes it’s tough to judge your own behavior. However, you have to stay objective about the situation. If you are the source of unpleasant vibes in the office, you want to correct your behavior as soon as possible.
With that in mind, here are a few signs to let you know whether you are the toxic person at work:
You Always End Up in Office Drama
Anyone can find themselves in an office dispute. When passionate people work together, sometimes tempers flare. However, this should represent a rare occurrence. It shouldn’t become a normal part of your office life.
Look at your office politics. Do you often clash with your team members? Do you wind up after a tussle with your coworkers?
If so, you might not just be unlucky. You might be the cause of the problem.
You Spread (Or Even Start) Office Gossip
We get the temptation. Office gossip can be juicy. A typical workday can get stale and boring. A little scandal can spice things up.
However, spreading gossip (or worse yet, starting it) can be destructive. Your coworkers will have a tough time living down those salacious rumors.
At the same time, you hurt your own reputation. You might feel like the center of attention when you break a gasp-inducing tidbit. But, ultimately, you undermine your trustworthiness and your overall professional demeanor.
You Keep Getting Shuffled to Different Assignments
Variety is good in a career. Taking on different projects helps you expand your skillset and broaden your professional network. However, this process should be voluntary.
If you get sent from one department to another, from one team to the next, you may want to look at how you approach your business. Ideally, supervisors and coworkers should clamor to work with you. If they trip over themselves to pass you off, you might have an issue.
You Only Care About Your Career
Of course, you need to look out for your own professional development. Going to work isn’t an altruistic endeavor. You have goals you want to achieve, and you should take the necessary steps to get there.
However, you shouldn’t only care about your career advancement. You should also consider things like other people’s feelings and basic business ethics. Once you start to ignore these niceties to accelerate your own advancement, you have reached the level of toxicity.
You Actively Root Against Other People
Yes, markets are about competition. For every job you get, someone else failed to make the cut. Charles Darwin. Adam Smith. All that.
But that doesn’t mean you should attempt to sabotage your coworkers. You are supposed to mesh with them as a team. Their success is your success. If you’ve started to actively root against those around you, you’ve crossed a dangerous threshold.
Sometimes a toxic attitude can develop when you find yourself in the wrong situation. Moving to a better job can cure the problem. A top staffing agency, like Recruiting In Motion, can place you in welcoming, encouraging workplaces.
