Talking About a Toxic Workplace

What's the right way to talk about a toxic work environment in a job interview?

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Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game.

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Simon’s books:

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#SimonSinek

[KO-imsm]

Companies always think it’s the employees. Toxicity starts at the top

[MrBeats]

Most work places are toxic & don’t practice what they preach

[MikosMiko]

Sorry Simon. In certain industries and for certain demographics, it is very possible to work in multiple back to back toxic environments. This is especially true in highly competitive and high burnout industries.

[NB_Wildflower]

This POV is the very thing that enables workplace toxicity to thrive.

[lilacspring]

Most jobs are toxic, it can sometimes be someone’s ability to take crap rather than them being toxic

[KynaruHelio]

i will walk you through EVERY job i've ever had and I'll show you every job I've left was toxic. (save for one)

[officespace]

No.
Every job is toxic.
There is no job that has a loving and caring environment.

[NB_Wildflower]

I think this perspective can only go so far. For a lot of workers who live in an able centric society or are marginalized groups in an oppressive society, there is a huge possibility that every job they encounter will have a level of toxicity. And the question is really about your level of tolerance to hostile workplaces.

I get what his pov is trying to get at, but it feels like a major blind spot and uses shame rather than acknowledging their lived experiences (when he has no idea the lives and why they have left jobs).

That is a great way to say to your potential new boss that your last job was toxic. Great choice of words.

[collinkeahey]

“We’re they though” the way you said that. Don’t act like the corporate workplaces isn’t repulsive as fuck

[veniqe]

Nearly all my jobs have been toxic. I can really only think of 3 jobs that weren't overtly toxic, and 2 of those 'mostly okay' jobs were still covertly toxic.

[MrApplewine]

No. I truly believe so much of the workforce is toxic. Part of the reason is people are rewarded for bad behavior and you can't hold people legally accountable. I'm sure there are good places. The issue is they may not be in your industry, or not a lot of them. Or, they may tend to discriminate against you. So, in that sense you are the common variable and it is hard to change how you look.

[VoiceForTheSilenced]

I just save receipts, every email, hold people accountable, clarify and cc EVERYONE to address issues. Boundaries. Establish boundaries so everyone know you’re not the one, and it’s not worth their efforts to throw you under the bus

[juliamallik]

I'm in the restaurant industry. Most of the jobs are toxic af

[autisms_alright]

Every office job I've had, has been toxic

[chanceahia]

It is very possible that every job and people is toxic

[Sillyerra]

First reflect on the correlation between people's childhood trauma causing them to subconsciously seek out toxic jobs because it recreates the same dynamics of what's familiar. Doesn't always mean the person is toxic.

[alarson]

Depends on your industry really. Food and retail are all toxic. Same shit, different place.

[carogibson]

I agree that changing the tone helps us not to suffer the same negative energy. It helps. We need to embrace built in failure plans at are work like pension plans.

[florencekone]

As a white man, you may have the luxury to only have worked in one toxic place. However, please recognize that minority and people of colors go through so much more mistreatment than anyone else. At almost all the jobs I have been too, I was singled out and treated differently. I could clearly see how my white counterparts had way better experience than I and it seems like although we were in the same companies we had different experiences. I wouldn’t even try to explain to anyone of my coworkers what I was going through because, that wasn’t their experience. The managers were very sneaky and know how to hide the way they mistreated me.