Surviving the Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against Coworkers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Poison Your Day

CHAPTER 11Motivating Your Co-Workers to Change

Motivating co-workers to comply with your wishes can be a delicate balance of the “carrot” and the “stick.” When you confront someone and describe his or her toxic behavior, be very specific. Give the time, place, and setting of what you saw and heard. Then when the person changes and does things correctly, do the same thing—tell the person how you witnessed him or her handling a situation differently and that you appreciate it. Do this every time you see a co-worker making a shift in toxic behavior. People need to have their positive growth pointed out to them because it reinforces the behavior change, and they feel rewarded and gratified to be noticed. It’s an “’Attaboy!” or “’Attagirl!” that ...