Personal Agendas

Selfish aims can be toxic

It’s good for people to have professional goals and want to be successful.

But there are good and bad ways to get to those goals.

Look out for people who think it is okay to “throw other people under the bus” to get what they want. Don’t tolerate “zero-sum” thinking on your team when it comes to success.

Your team will be stronger and more successful if people work collaboratively to make sure that EVERYONE gets a good outcome—the client, the company, and the other team-members AS WELL AS the individual. Don’t reward people for their individual efforts if they have come at the expense of the rest of the team. It can create a toxic work environment of client-poaching, efforts wasted on CYA activities, team dysfunction, and poor morale and retention.

Create an environment in which people feel ready, willing, and able to help other team members succeed, since they know that it will benefit everyone. And you will all be closer to reaching those professional aspirations.

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