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1. Avoiding direct communication which in essence would resolve an issue in question much faster and without grey areas. If someone is not doing something right (or as expected), this must be properly communicated with indications on how it can be done effectively and efficiently.

2. Using indirect methods because of lack of courage (or because of guilt) to bypass or exclude an employee. As a manager do you honestly believe that playing psychological games inside your company will make it a better and more productive working place? If your answer is yes, go home.

3. Lack of trust – considering everyone to be an enemy that may potentially be harmful. If everyone is a potential enemy why hire them in the first place? Either do it yourself, or, respect and trust those you hire until sufficiently proven otherwise. After all, they passed a hiring process to be in your company, unless you also don’t trust your HR team combined with your own judgement…

4. Inability or reluctance to recognise employees’ achievements or even identify human assets in the firm, beyond the “inner circle”. This is ironically true even for companies dealing with asset management. Never forget that the most valuable assets are humans and yes, some of them are not easily (if at all) replaceable.

5. Being unnecessarily confrontational (the other extreme). Toxicity leads to more toxicity. More toxicity leads to an explosion. Explosion means disaster. There are better ways to make improvements, one is by building better relations.

Alexis Makrides