Commentaries by Cynthia

From the book I Could Do Anything…If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher; chapter seven is entitled "On the Wrong Track and Moving Fast." The following paragraphs describe a toxic work environment.

“Our environment is what makes us strong and open and happy -- or it makes us sick. A toxic environment doesn’t just have cigarette smoke in it; it has difficult people in it, and they can make you as sick as any toxic chemical.

Sometimes it isn’t just one or two people; it’s the whole place. It’s so riddled with politics you can’t do your work. You may have walked into a sick corporate environment. You picked the right work but the wrong place to do it.

Billie’s job used to be wonderful, then somebody came along and spoiled it for her. A new boss changed the entire temperament of the company, firing Billie’s beloved supervisor and replacing her with a man who was both unkind and unfair. Now Billie’s job is simply hell.

This is no minor issue. In 1990, a study found that one third of all unhappy workers attributed their job stress to other people on the job. You can become sick if the community you work with is toxic.

How do they make you sick? You have terrible feelings and begin to think something is wrong with you. You find yourself not wanting to work at your very top level because you’re angry and demoralized. So your work suffers and you lose the pride you had in doing a great job. But most of all, the injustice makes you sick.”