Angie Morgan's Blog, page 31

10 Signs You Work in a Toxic Environment (and Five Things You Can Do About It)

I’ve seen inside both thriving and toxic work environments for more than a decade, and there are clear, telltale signs that indicate whether (or not) you’re working in a healthy organization.  I’m compiling my list so you can assess the health or your group, and – more importantly – if you discover you’re working in a less-than-best environment, I wanted to offer you things you can do about it.  Here goes:

Top 10 Signs You Work in a Toxic Environment

The brilliant jerk is tolerated and always gets their way
Someone breaks down in tears at least once a week
You have a nagging feeling that if you’re not at a meeting, you’ll be stabbed in the back
There are no clear expectations for your role, but you’re harshly judged against random expectations
Cliques form and you often wonder if you’re in or out
The favorites always get more than their fair share of choice opportunities or the annual bonus
You feel pitted against colleagues on a routine basis as if there’s a weird, ongoing loyalty test
Tempers often flair, and there’s no check against them
You often question your value or self-worth, feeling that you’re in a perpetual state of proving yourself
 You have the “I want to quit” feeling nearly every day

I’ve worked in a toxic work environment before.  When I was working in sales many moons ago, I had a temporary manager who was still developing his leadership skills. (That’s putting it kindly!)  Working for him felt as if I wasn’t cared for, and it was a pretty sad existence for me.    I was relatively fresh from the Marine Corps, so I knew that there were better leaders in this world and, more specifically, there were more opportunities that I could explore where I could thrive.  So, what’d I do?  I quit. I was fortunate that I had that option when I know that many people who work in toxic environments don’t always have that choice.

I wanted to offer you five things you can do if you find yourself in a less-than-best scenario, which may not require you to quit … but could inspire you to confront your reality with the right mindset and actions.

Be Accountable.  Is it really your environment, or is it you?  Is there something going on in your life that is limiting you from being your best while at work?  It’s easy to point the finger at circumstances to say why things aren’t going well, but challenge yourself to look internally, check in with yourself, and hold yourself accountable to the most important standards – your own expectations of yourself.
Be Bigger than the Situation.  If, indeed, it’s your work environment – maybe a toxic boss, or a colleague – know that it’s not just you who are impacted by them.  Be the bigger leader in the group and extend your leadership to others.  Start your day off with the intentions that despite the circumstances, you’re not going to let your emotions get the better of you … and you’re going to spread positive influence among others.  This takes focus and discipline, but your efforts could help elevate the mood in the room.
Do the Work.  Changing a culture requires committed leaders, like yourself, and it’s often a lengthy process.  Do the work. Set reasonable expectations for the change you’d like to see, and the timeline that it’s reasonable to achieve it.
Decide if It’s Worth It.  If you’ve done steps 1-3, then ask yourself a pretty pointed question: “Is it worth it?”  Remember that you can likely make money anywhere.  Is the environment the right environment for you to thrive?  Does the experience connect to a greater goal, requiring you to endure a bit longer?  Draw some hard lines of what is and what isn’t acceptable for you.
Find Joy Elsewhere. I’ve worked inside many amazing organizations.  I can say, with 100% certainty, that there is greener grass out there.  I recognize, though, that not everyone can make a career shift with ease.  Some, due to opportunities in their communities, might not have a readily available role outside of their current environment to transition into.  This is why finding joy, either internally or externally, to your work environment is key.  Find an external pursuit that fills your bucket – it allows you to ensure that work, and your toxic environment, don’t rule your world, and it reminds you there are other ways to find fulfillment.

Do you have some ideas on how, else, to confront a toxic work environment?  Share them here.

Need a Leadership Boost? Hear From Angie!

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Go To A Parade

It takes dozens of hours to put together a float.  It’s a pretty involved task:

Coming up with a concept
Buying supplies
Coordinating schedules to construct the float
Participating in the parade itself, which can be a several-hour event
Deconstruction

And that is just one float.  Think of the hundreds that are currently being constructed for the 4th of July celebration this week.  Some might say: “Is it worth it?”  As a parade enthusiast, I’ll say “Undoubtedly!”

 

Floats are the centerpiece of what I love most about a 4th of July parade: Communities coming together in celebration.  

 

I love how dedicated volunteers carefully create the experience, while families dust off their lawn chairs so they can wave their flags while observing whatever rolls down the street – marching bands, color guards, clown cars, horses, beauty queens, and – of course – floats.

 

I also love what happens around parades – young entrepreneurs set up lemonade stands, volunteer organizations share materials, interest groups ask you to sign petitions, politicians and candidates shake your hand, and restaurants put grills in front of their businesses so they can roast hot dogs and sell them for $2.  (I live in Northern Michigan … hot dogs might be pricier in your neck of the woods.)

 

There are very few events where communities can attract such diverse crowds, and when – together – people appear, well, happy!    We don’t focus on differences.  Rather, we focus on the event itself, designed purely for our joy. 

 

My ask of you this 4th of July is pretty simple – find a parade and go to one.  Or, in lieu of a parade, take time to participate in a community-based event. People need people – communities need engagement – and our country needs more people coming together to celebrate its Independence.  

Angie Morgan is one of Lead Star’s founders and authors of SPARK.  She’ll be attending two parades this 4th of July – Cheboygan, and Petoskey in Michigan. (She’ll also be walking with her son’s school’s float in the Grand Royal Cherry Parade in Traverse City on Saturday.)   

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You Keep the Culture

I was caught off guard last week. When I was meeting with a respected business leader in my community to discuss some of the economic challenges in our region, he said, offhand, “I probably shouldn’t say this, but …” He then proceeded to tell a racist joke. 

It wasn’t mildly racist. It was full-blown racist. To be honest, I was in such shock over what I was hearing that my reaction, in hindsight, could’ve been better. 

While I did nothing to show I approved of his joke, I could’ve done better to express my disapproval. Sure, my reaction made it clear that I didn’t welcome this type of humor, but what I should’ve been clearer on is that he should never, ever tell this joke (or anything like it) to anyone ever again. 

I expressed this regret to a friend, who shared with me this great video. 

What interested me in this video is that we can’t be passive observers in the type of culture we are in. We have to care for it, continuously, so that the values we respect are actually values that are active in our relationships, our communities, and – heck – in our world. 

I get that the world right now is a little chaotic. In just these past several weeks, well-known figures have been exposed (or have exposed themselves) to their unflattering biases against women, people of color, different ethnicities, the LGBTQIA community … and the list goes on. 

As leaders, we have to hold ourselves to the highest of standards. We have to take on the role as keepers of the culture and do more to show our disapproval when we feel others are being poorly represented, whether it’s in casual conversations or failed attempts at humor. We have to confront these challenges with our voice and take a stand where a stand is needed. 

Our relationships – and our world – only improve when we commit to improving them. 

So, let’s face it, it’s inevitable: In the next few weeks you, like me, will be confronted with a comment or a social post you find offensive. Challenge yourself to respond in a way that reflects your values. Engage. Not in a way to shame, but rather share your point of view. These moments are only teachable moments if we take the time to educate, and have dialogue, around our perspectives.

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Are Your Work Relationships Transactional… or Transformational?

My colleagues and I talk a lot about transactional vs transformational relationships. In our work ecosphere, we can achieve success through transactions – you do this, I do this, and we don’t really invest in each other. Transactional works, but it’s not ideal for performance. It’s impersonal and fails to allow people to engage fully with their heads and hearts.

 

Transformational is different – it means you invest in those around you to express that you care about them and that you trust them. Likewise, others invest in your success. When we all work to improve our relationship quality, we tap into the discretionary effort of those around us – that extra effort people give if they really feel connected to their organization.

 

I firmly believe discretionary effort is where organizations uncover new ideas, exceed their goals, and promote innovations. These organizations also have a better vibe because they’re built on trust and respect. (I think we all know what it feels like to work in a place where trust and respect are absent … it’s not a pretty picture!) 

We can all play a role in positively influencing the quality of the relationships we have. In fact, I was talking about this recently when a thought sneaked into my mind: Hey, Angie, how can you do a better job of investing in people around you? 

This caused me to pause for a second and reflect. I take pride in my relationships, so even though I feel I do a pretty good job of serving my network, I know there’s room for improvement, which sparked two ideas: 

Why don’t I stop emailing people and pick up the phone more frequently?
What if I start hand-writing thank you notes, too?

So … I did. And then I discovered a few things quite quickly.

My friends and family appreciated a communication that had a tone to it
I solved more problems (and answered more questions quickly) by using the phone vs. email
Those I sent thank you notes to shared with me how much they appreciated the thought and sentiment
Ultimately, by taking these initiatives, I felt more engaged with those around me

These gestures really took me no more additional time to complete. It just took some intention and a bit of action. That’s all. 

Intention … and action.

 

I’d love to hear from you. What are some of the things you are doing right now to develop your relationships? Email me amorgan@leadstar.us. I’ll post all your great ideas in a follow-on communication.

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Tips for the Time-Poor Professional

In the midst of running a business, raising a family, and helping support my husband’s Congressional campaign, a new responsibility fell on my lap recently. I am now heading the float-building committee for my son’s school for our community’s upcoming Cherry Festival. 

 

Believe me … I didn’t raise my hand for this opportunity. I can barely hit a nail with a hammer. I guess I’m organized, which is why someone on the committee looked at me during our first meeting and said, “I think you should lead this effort.”

Like many of you, I’m time poor. (I actually think I might be bankrupt.) But, I’m learning a few powerful lessons during this stress test that I’d like to share with you if you feel like you’re pushed to the max, too.

 

Before You Commit to Anything, Get Clear on Your Priorities. You might think I’m crazy for taking on all of this and while I might agree, I’d also like to offer that all of these activities are aligned with one of my top three priorities, which is why I said “yes.” Here they are:

Family
Professional Fulfillment
Service

For the record, I’ve said “no” to things recently, too, to make room for my “yes’s.” When asked if I want to get involved in anything new, I say, “let me think about it” before I commit. Clear priorities give me guidelines on whether I should say “yes” to anything new. 

 

You Can’t Do Everything. We all have limitations. What I’ve learned is that I can’t be everywhere at once, I don’t always make the best decisions, and there are others willing to step up and help when asked. To manage, we have to delegate and empower. As a friend of mine put it, as you climb the ladder of responsibility, you eventually have to take a foot off of a rung. Sometimes it’s hard for people to give up control as they assume more responsibility. I’m re-learning one of the best leadership lessons that I picked up in the Marine Corps: You can delegate authority, but not responsibility. When you delegate authority, you give people autonomy – something we all crave. As task delegated can be a great learning opportunity for someone else. 

 

Sometimes Good Enough Is … Good Enough. A key decision the float committee made on our first meeting was that we weren’t going to be the best float in the parade. While there were a trillion things we could do to “pimp our float,” we weren’t going to do them. We’re all busy and in the greater scheme of life, this mattered but not that much. When you’re busy, how you allocate your minutes is critical. During the week, there are things I spend time on and things I don’t. There are things that I perfect, and there are things I choose not to. In your world, you know when you’re trying to make perfect things that don’t matter. The key is being able to recognize when good enough is really good enough.

 

For all of us, we strive to feel full lives. I’ve given up on the notion that life can feel balanced – is anything ever evenly distributed? Rather, harmony and fulfillment are my goals. I gain harmony my living my priorities, which connect to values. Fulfillment comes from the joy of the joy of expressing talents that I believe I have.

 

Need some additional time hacks? Listen to Courtney talk about the criticality of being consistent and managing your minutes and find more resources for time management here. 

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Go Ahead . . . Be Selfish

Pictured here: Pete Kirkwood, owner of The Workshop Brewery and guru on the pursuit of happiness. Angie recently sat down with him at Mundos Roasting & Co. in their hometown of Traverse City, MI.

I recently had coffee with a great friend, Pete Kirkwood. He’s lived all over the world, but it just so happens that he and his family decided to settle down in my community and open up a brewery, The Workshop.*

 

It’s more than a brewery. It’s a sacred space where people from all political views, religions, and personal preferences can get together and build relationships. His vision is that a community space, centered on craft, can unite people and help them achieve something we all aspire to achieve: happiness.

 

It seems to me that happiness is in short supply lately, yet it’s something that we all want. Pete recently made a very keen observation:

 

Many of us dedicate tremendous time getting better at things that do not make us happy.

 

He’s spot on. I’ve met too many disgruntled professionals who get stuck in paths that don’t help them reach their potential or serve them in meaningful ways. Their habits leave them hollow, and that’s neither a productive nor fulfilling place to be.

 

Happiness isn’t a frivolous pursuit. How we feel impacts so many critical aspects of our life: our relationships, our career, our health … just to name a few. I think it’s fair to say that our personal pursuit of happiness is something we should be intentional about and, let’s face it, a little selfish, too.

 

What’s selfish about happiness? It requires that you do something purely to make you happy. Yes, it might help others, but it fills your buckets primarily … not theirs. If there’s benefit to others, so be it. 

 

As an example, I recently started running with my son’s track team after school. When I’m able, I gear up and join them on long-distance runs. This is 100% purely for me. I want to spend meaningful time with my son, get to know his friends, and – honestly – squeeze a workout in. I hope I make connections with the runners, too, and help them get better, as well as share my love for the sport. But this pursuit fills my bucket first and foremost, and I’m so okay with that.

 

You might find your happiness bucket is filled by sport or date nights, volunteering or long walks in the woods. It could be, too, that happiness for you is fulfilling a long-held goal, like going back to school or writing that book. 

 

My point, though, is simple – do what you need to do to get to a good place so you can be your best. When you’re at your best, you inspire others to be at their best, too. 

 

Need some motivation for being intentional about your pursuits? Hear from Angie and on leading with Intentional Action.

 

 

*If you’re in Traverse City, visit The Workshop – and try the pork nachos!! You’ll be HAPPY you did.

 

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Just Do It … More Than Once

Nike recently announced its focus on promoting women and people of color. Hear from Angie as she shares her perspective on being the “token female” in many situations, and what guidance she’d give Nike as they intentionally grow the diversity of their workforce.

I’ve sat in the diversity chair many times, and it’s not awesome.

As a young Marine officer, I was frequently selected to play the token female role when VIPs came to base. The base general would invite me to deliver the installation “brief,” where I’d stand in front of congressional leaders, visiting foreign military officers, and whoever else stopped on by, and talk about our operations while sending the not-so-subtle signal that stated, “Yes, gentlemen, we have women here in our Corps and they’re doing just fine.”

When I transitioned out of the Marines to work in pharmaceutical sales, there were many times I was asked specifically to visit certain physicians because they had a preference for female representatives.

Even later in my career, there would be a few instances where I’d serve on boards and committees where it was clear that the reason I was asked to engage was that they needed to create better optics for their board – they needed a woman, and that woman was, clearly, me.

Now, I don’t begrudge anyone who’s put me in any of these positions. I don’t feel like I was taken advantage of or that I was exploited. What I can recall from all of those experiences was that when I was in them, I felt incredibly lonely.    

Yep, lonely.

We’ve heard before it’s lonely at the top. Well, it’s also incredibly lonely when you’re the sole woman or person of color asked to sit in a sea of white men to play a part or to satisfy an implicit agenda.

As an example,  a previous board I served on was comprised of older, Caucasian, and very wealthy men. After our meetings, we’d retreat to the bar where conversations would focus on jets, golf vacations, scotch, second homes, and second wives. I would listen and patiently wait to catch an opening where I could contribute. And I’d wait. Their lives were very dissimilar to mine – a relatively young entrepreneur with elementary-aged kids whose husband was an active duty Marine. (Hint: we weren’t living in the lap of luxury.) I felt completely out of place and, inevitably, after an hour I’d retreat back to my hotel room wondering what I was doing with this group, asking why I was choosing to spend my discretionary time on this nonprofit board when it left me feeling this way. I knew I had value to add, but I also questioned greatly whether this group appreciated my value … especially when we had nothing in common. After I served my term, I resigned. It didn’t feel worth the time tradeoff. I soon found another organization where I could add value (with a lot more ease).

So, when I heard recently Nike’s Chief Human Resources Officer announce they needed to accelerate the hiring and promotion of women and people of color into more senior roles, my first thought was great! My second thought was to make sure to not just do it once, do it multiple times, so that diversity doesn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable for women and minorities, and – most importantly – lonely for this group. Because if it does, diverse talent won’t stay – they’ll go to the places where they feel they can thrive.

As a consultant, I’ve worked in businesses where diversity feels easy. Recently, I was facilitating a leadership retreat for an oilfield services company, where I was the only woman in the room, and the group was comprised of Iraqis, Egyptians, Russians, and North and South Americans. It was possibly the most diverse crowd I’ve ever been in front of. More importantly, it wasn’t uncomfortable. We were different in many ways imaginable, and it worked. Having consulted with this business for many years, I can say with certainty that a decade ago diversity (or lack thereof) was a huge problem. They addressed it by targeting senior leadership roles and putting extremely competent, capable, and diverse talent in them (even if that meant reaching deep into the organization and having these individuals leap a few promotions into their spot). They did a lot of training. Ultimately, their strategy worked, and I was able to experience the fruits of their labor.

Growing diverse workforces is undoubtedly hard work, but worthwhile. Far beyond the feel-good side of it and the optics, diversity makes good economic sense.  To tackle the loneliness issue, it’s important to note that one woman or person of color at the top doesn’t allow businesses to reap the economic benefits of a more diverse senior leadership team.

Catalyst Organization has done research on this and the magic number happens to be three – in their study, they found that having three or more women on corporate boards significantly enhanced the performance of Fortune 500 businesses as compared to those that were less diverse. I’m sure if you extrapolate this example to senior leadership teams, and other critical managerial levels, the benefits of diversity will also be found.

Bottom line: Tokenism doesn’t work.  Inclusivity, with strong intentions and a strategy, does. So, good luck, Nike, on your journey. May this lead you to a place where the best talent contributes to your business for years to come.

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When Work Isn’t Working For You

Your career has its peaks and valleys. 

 

Peaks are great, right?

You closed the big deal.
Your proposal was a success with your client.
Your team completed a project under budget and ahead of time.

Peaks can give you the energy and motivation necessary to strive for even greater achievements. 

Peaks never seem to last long enough, however. Once you’re on top of a mountain, the only next step is one that goes down. If you take too many steps, you can find yourself in a valley – a lonely, dismal place.

 

Valleys may be:

Receiving a discouraging performance review
Losing a treasured client
Getting a demotion

This is when it feels like work just isn’t working for you. While in a valley, you’ll consider career changes, experience self-doubt, and question what it is you’re meant to do in the first place.

 

Sometimes it can be challenging to inspire yourself in these moments. When this occurs, you need to seek out sources that encourage you and help you rediscover that spark within.

 

If this sounds at all familiar, watch this video from Angie, where she talks about why these moments are when your efforts to develop your leadership skills are needed most.

 

We created the SPARK Experience to help you both re-inspire yourself and stay inspired. At Lead Star, we’re on your side. Being our best requires effort, and we’re committed to giving the resources you need to be your best.  

Visit the SPARK Experience

 

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How to Inspire a Growth Mindset

“Make it better.”

That’s the mantra of one of our clients, a small manufacturer in the Midwest. Whether they’re developing their product or focusing on a process, their intent is clear – each day is an opportunity to improve. This growth mindset is more than baked into their cultural DNA; every employee adopts it. 

 

We enjoy working with this group because individuals are hungry for new ways of thinking, eager to hear feedback on how they’re doing so they can improve, and incorporate cross training so they can learn from each other.

 

Growth-mode is invigorating; whenever we work with this client, we leave the site refreshed and inspired. Their “make it better” spirit is undoubtedly contagious.

 

Does this sound like your work environment? Or, perhaps, the work environment of your dreams?

 

You can play a positive role in making “it” better wherever you are – and whatever that “it” is for you. 

 

Getting better starts with an inspired vision. When was the last time you checked in with yourself to see how clear and fresh your vision is for you?

 

Watch this video from SPARK author Sean, who’ll highlight what a clear vision can do for you. Once complete, check out the self-reflection exercises on the SPARK Experience including “Your Vision” and “100 Day Action Plan.”   

Watch the Video

Being better starts with great intention, then the commitment to act. And, don’t forget – we’re here to support you on every single step of the journey.

 

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Overcoming Obstacles Feat. Marsh Carter

How are you able to be resilient in the face of significant rejection?

 

I wondered that after hearing that Vietnam Veteran Marsh Carter applied to over 80 companies after he left the Marine Corps and was rejected by jobs over 80 times. Carter would later build a successful 35+ year career in the financial sector, earning a CEO role at a Fortune 500 company and becoming the chair of the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Marsh Carter and I were able to sit down for the latest episode of Leadership Conversations to discuss his transition from the Marine Corps to the corporate world during the Vietnam War, and the leadership wisdom he developed as a result of his experience. He discusses the key traits that lead to resiliency and leadership success, for both Veterans transitioning into the civilian world and anyone looking to lead in their industry or position:

Be prepared to take on tough challenges. Be eager to accept responsibility, even if that means taking on the high risk/high reward jobs or tasks.


Make contingency plans: Expect the worst and plan how you’re going to deal with it.


Be a team player. Focus on building team accomplishment instead of individual accomplishments.


Expect some rejection. You should expect some rejection and expect some people to not value your military experience. You have to keep trying.


Be Accountable. Success is directly related to your ability to give clear instructions, follow up and take responsibility for your actions.

Whether or not you’ve served in the military, Marsh’s story of overcoming obstacles is a powerful lesson in the importance of leadership skills in tackling obstacles. Listen in to our conversation today!

Join the Conversation HerE

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