The 6 Primary Antagonists

There are 6 different types of toxic employees. Often many undesirables behaviors will manifest in a single person. They includes 

The Slacker. This employee is a master at procrastination, passing responsibilities to someone else, and making excuses for why they can't complete their work.

The Bully. This employee is overly aggressive with his/her co-workers, and uses his position or intimidating personality to achieve desired results. Workplace bullying is on the rise.  25-50% or workers report being bullied at work at some point in their careers, and the consequences are severe. They include lost productivity, increased turnover. brand and reputation damage, and legal costs. 

The Gossip. This person clearly has not moved on from high school and college. They relish in creating drama through rumor-spreading, and like to be in everyone's business. 

The Lone Wolf. "That's not my job." "I can do this myself." This employee is the antithesis of a team player. They often present unique challenges because they are usually very high performers. A client has a rockstar sales performer that doesn't fit into the culture and prefers to do things their way, but they are crushing their sales quota. We are applying different strategies to leverage their strength and minimize their negative impact, including a re-organization. 

The Emotional Mess. I often advise my clients to remember that every hire brings emotional baggage. This is why it's crucial to closely screen for how candidates manage stressful situations. Employees that use their work environment as a therapist's office are disruptive, even if they aren't malicious. 

The Closed-Minded Know-It-All. When I help my clients screen for their new hires, I ask questions to help me determine if the candidates have mindsets of learning and curiosity. An organization only grows as much as its people.