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The problem isn't toxic people. No one wakes up saying, gee, it's a great day to be toxic today. The problem is toxic environments that incentivize people to

The problem isn't toxic people. No one wakes up saying, gee, it's a great day to be toxic today. The problem is toxic environments that incentivize people to become toxic. This usually happens due to overly stressed environments, that don't have Work/life balance, with deadlines that are way too aggressive, thus culminating in a pressure cooker environment, that's sure to blow up sooner or later. Once, you relax those constraints, everything else can work out and people don't have to become toxic.

mikehollinger 10y ago
The Dead Sea Effect [1] nicely describes this sort of "toxic environment" in a pretty well-written piece from 2008. In the author's case, he traces it back to the inability to bring people into and out of an organization. [1] http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/11/the-wetware-crisis-the-dead-sea-effect/ http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/11/the-wetware-crisis-the-d...
friendzis 10y ago
Strangely, the worst people I had to deal with were self-centered little-capable know-it-all egoists. Whatever question arises they have their opinion and know better. Thrown at a problem they try to raise their hands and float out of there or half-ass minimum viable prototype and leave it for others to fix. They go out of their way to make things suit their personal agenda. Need half of their hour to make a release? Sorry, cannot delay my daily jog. They promised something will be done (probably to client)? Will try to maneuver three levels of management to coerce someone to do it, because they lack competence to do it themselves and are not willing to learn. Such were the people I found barely bearable to work next to.
- jrs235 10y ago
  These are more than likely narcissists. And they are extremely toxic and dangerous. It is best to avoid them, keep them away, or leave if you can't make them leave.
jrs235 10y ago
I don't completely agree with your assertion. A toxic narcissist person will create a toxic environment and if the person is not dealt with immediately then the consequence is an environment that incentivizes toxic behavior which results in other people being or appearing to also be toxic. The narcissist wants/needs the appearance of other people being toxic so they can hide among them and keep people from pointing at them.

mikehollinger 10y ago

The Dead Sea Effect [1] nicely describes this sort of "toxic environment" in a pretty well-written piece from 2008. In the author's case, he traces it back to the inability to bring people into and out of an organization. [1] http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/11/the-wetware-crisis-the-dead-sea-effect/ http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/11/the-wetware-crisis-the-d...

friendzis 10y ago

Strangely, the worst people I had to deal with were self-centered little-capable know-it-all egoists. Whatever question arises they have their opinion and know better. Thrown at a problem they try to raise their hands and float out of there or half-ass minimum viable prototype and leave it for others to fix. They go out of their way to make things suit their personal agenda. Need half of their hour to make a release? Sorry, cannot delay my daily jog. They promised something will be done (probably to client)? Will try to maneuver three levels of management to coerce someone to do it, because they lack competence to do it themselves and are not willing to learn. Such were the people I found barely bearable to work next to.

jrs235 10y ago
These are more than likely narcissists. And they are extremely toxic and dangerous. It is best to avoid them, keep them away, or leave if you can't make them leave.

jrs235 10y ago

I don't completely agree with your assertion. A toxic narcissist person will create a toxic environment and if the person is not dealt with immediately then the consequence is an environment that incentivizes toxic behavior which results in other people being or appearing to also be toxic. The narcissist wants/needs the appearance of other people being toxic so they can hide among them and keep people from pointing at them.