Turn a Toxic Employee Around in 30 Days!
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Turn a Toxic Employee Around in 30 Days!

“You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family”. Do you remember that old saying? You also cannot choose who you work with many times. Some of your co-workers and colleagues are pleasant and it’s nice to be around them. Others are negative, see the bad in people, and their glass is always half-empty. What a shame! The truth is, sometimes you will have to work with toxic employees. But, there’s hope! Here’s how to turn them around in 30 days!

The Toxic Employee

The toxic employee is one who has a negative personality that can be described as hurtful, malicious or harsh. Sometimes this employee is in a leadership position and can take the workplace hostage. This employee can be very effective at his or her job. They might be clinically superior to other employees. The problem isn’t their talent. The problem is no one likes them.

Toxic employees tend to be troublemakers. They enjoy stirring up the workplace and pitting staff against staff. Their energy is negative and it attracts others who are equally as negative or worse. This is the Law of Attraction in action. While they might be good leaders, they are leading in the wrong direction. Luckily, they can be turned around into a positive employee.

How to Do It

If you are seriously going to turn a negative and toxic employee into a bright and cheerful one, you have to make a personal connection that means something. It can start with a “hello” and then develop into a more personal relationship. Find out what kind of dog they have, or where their kids go to school. Talk about your dog or kids with them. Make the conversations light and non-work related. Show your human side first.

Extend an Invitation

The next step is to find some commonality between you and the toxic employee. Is there a special event in town like a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease or cancer? Plan to attend and invite them to meet you there. Is there a special walk for life themed event or find a cure program that you both can attend? By doing something meaningful together, you are forming a genuine bond with the toxic employee.

Now, Make it About Work

The event is over, you both had a good time and made a special bond. Now, it’s time to get back to work. Visit them in their workspace. Ask how things are going. Praise them for the good work they are doing, how clinically smart they are and what a difference-maker they are. Also, tell them you appreciate the effort they are making to be a better leader and person.

Tap into their strengths and ask them how things on the unit could be better than they are now. If they don’t have an immediate answer, ask them to think about it tonight when they are driving home. Let them know you are highly interested in their input and ideas. Then, make an effort to incorporate not all, but one or two of their ideas if they make sense.

Final Thoughts on Turning a Toxic Employee Around in 30 Days

While there are toxic employees in almost any workplace, they are not doomed to be negative forever. Sometimes, all it takes is a special person to take the time to work with them and turn them around. Extend your hand, make it personal and then bring it back to work. You may be able to turn someone around in a month.

(NOTE: Interested in learning more about Leadership in health care? Checkout my Leadership CEUs on CEU Academy and try a FREE CEU today!)

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