You know it yourself well enough, what it means to be in a work environment with toxic people. One verbal abuser or manipulator alone may sabotage an entire team, if not the whole company. Persistently difficult and crazymaking clients may lead to you giving them most of your attention, while neglecting the vast majority of pleasant and satisfied customers.
As many of us have witnessed at school, oftentimes noone has the courage or skill to stop the bullies. Organizations avoid addressing the issue out of the fear of creating scandal and attracting even more negative attention.
On the other hand, constant negativity seriously affects employee health and productivity. Employees may resent their company for not creating a safe work climate. Absenteeism may increase, as well as even unethical behavior like employee theft (as a subjective "compensation" for the lack of oversight).
Add an international work environment to the mix, with teams composed of different nationalities, cultures, religions and languages, and the conflict potential grows exponentially. More so than, interactions in a given language between native and non-native speakers are on an uneven playing field.
During more than twenty years of international experience in multiethnic and multilanguage teams, I have developed a method that allows you to systematically create boundaries against verbal abuse, even if you are speaking in a foreign language.
Contact me to see how I can assist you and your team: [email protected]
About me
I am a lecturer and consultant in work and organizational psychology from Germany. After graduating from the University of Hamburg, Germany, in 2006, I have been teaching psychology at universities in South Eastern Europe, doing research as well as working as a consultant for private companies and international organizations like UNICEF, IOM or Terre des Hommes.
I am the author of ten books, as well as the host of the podcast "Work and Organizational Psychology - with Gerhard Ohrband", the only psychology podcast in the world in 21 languages.