Civility Partners, Inc

Civility Partners, Inc Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies is out now: https://civilitypartners.com/navigating-a-toxic-workplace-for-dummies/

🤑One of the most expensive beliefs in business is: "Yes, they're difficult, but they get results," and, “Their team just...
06/12/2026

🤑One of the most expensive beliefs in business is: "Yes, they're difficult, but they get results," and, “Their team just needs to toughen up.”

Organizations routinely tolerate behaviors from top performers that they would never accept from anyone else. The leader who drives revenue but creates turnover. The executive who delivers operational excellence but intimidates employees. The manager whose team performs but experiences chronic burnout.

Over time, exceptions become precedents. Employees notice. Managers notice. Future leaders notice.

The message becomes clear 👉 Performance matters more than behavior, and it is not safe to work here.

So the issue is not whether the leader is producing results. The issue is whether those results justify the cost. 💰💰💰

The good new is that toxic leaders most often can change with specialized coaching designed specifically for them.

This coaching is appropriate when the leader acknowledges they have some short comings. (Note they'll admit it to their boss, not everyone else, and that's all we need.) And, YOU have to be ready to hold them accountable and implement consequences if necessary. 💪✨

DM "CHANGE" for a comprehensive toxic leader cost calculator. Use it to show the boss the toxic leader is more expensive then they realize, and that there are options.

Which one will you buy for your co-worker? Or get the whole pack and leave them in the kitchen for all to enjoy! Follow ...
06/10/2026

Which one will you buy for your co-worker? Or get the whole pack and leave them in the kitchen for all to enjoy! Follow us for more toxic workplace fun!

06/08/2026

When did wanting work/life balance become lazy?

Let's play a game! Explain what you do in the comments - the first grader version! Yesterday I attended my son's first g...
06/05/2026

Let's play a game! Explain what you do in the comments - the first grader version!

Yesterday I attended my son's first grade career fair, and it was so fun to tell them what I do! "I help grown-ups be kind at work," and, "Do you have a book about being kind to your friends? I've written that book for adults."

Used a little activity where they could write their answers to the question, "What makes a good teammate?" on a sticky note. Then I got the question, "How do you teach adults to be kind?" Answer: "Literally exactly the same way we just did it here! We discussed the rules of being a good teammate, and that's what we do at work."

Other questions:
Q: Did someone else draw and color all of the pictures in your book? A: There aren't any pictures!
Q: How many pages is your book? A: 350
Q: How long did it take you to write it? A: 4 mos
Q: Do you get scared on stage? A: Nope! I love it!

Put your career in the comments - first grade edition! This will be fun.

06/04/2026

It’s easy to label leaders like Miranda Priestly as narcissists or psychopaths.

But the truth is more complicated: they don’t fully understand the pain they cause. They focus on results, not on causing pain, which makes them coachable.

Here’s two patterns leaders like Miranda have in common, and how it allows me to coach them:

1. They’re extremely high performers.
That’s why companies keep them around. But underneath that competence is often a deep fear of being seen as incompetent. They've often spent their entire lives trying to prove their worth. (Kind of fascinating, right? That the top executives of enterprises are actually afraid of failure!)

2. That fear of incompetence triggers fight-or-flight behavior.
Every human's instinct tells them to fight or flee when scared. For Miranda, in her state of fear of incompetence, “fight” looks like eye rolls, cutting remarks, and dismissiveness. “Flight” looks like, “that’s all” or turning away in the middle of a conversation or before it can even happen.

In my coaching work, I interview the people around these leaders and organize the feedback into clear themes. When they hear how their behavior is actually experienced, something clicks.

They realize people may see them as technically brilliant, but also as deeply ineffective leaders.

That’s the turning point.

Coaching isn't about being “nicer.”
It's about being more competent. And that's why it works.

And yes, change is possible. I’ve coached hundreds of toxic leaders who have made 180-degree changes in their behavior.

You'll never believe the lengths CEO's will go to so they can avoid holding a toxic leader accountable! DM us to set up ...
06/03/2026

You'll never believe the lengths CEO's will go to so they can avoid holding a toxic leader accountable! DM us to set up a call with one of our experts.

There’s a difference between a tough boss and a toxic one.A tough boss may challenge you, stretch you, and hold you acco...
06/02/2026

There’s a difference between a tough boss and a toxic one.

A tough boss may challenge you, stretch you, and hold you accountable. That knot in your stomach on your way to their office is about your desire to be a high achiever and recognizing that this boss, as tough as they are, wants you and the team to be successful.

A toxic boss makes you question your worth, your instincts, and sometimes your sanity. That knot in your stomach on your way to their office if about your fear of abuse and anxiety.

A lot of toxic bosses hide behind the word “tough.” And a lot of their leaders do, too.

They say things like:

😒“I just have high standards,” and, "They just have high standards."
😒“I’m direct,” and, "They're just direct. People just need to get over it."
😒“People are too sensitive,” and, "They're just not used to accountability."

But high standards and harmful behavior are not the same thing.

A tough boss pushes performance.
A toxic boss punishes humanity.

A tough boss gives clear feedback.
A toxic boss uses criticism as a weapon.

A tough boss creates accountability.
A toxic boss creates fear.

A tough boss may be demanding.
A toxic boss is demeaning.

This distinction matters because when we confuse toxic leadership with “strong leadership,” we reward the very behaviors that drive people out, shut people down, and corrode culture from the inside.

Strong leadership doesn't include abuse.

👉Take a look at the list in this post and tell me your stories. Comparing tough and toxic in a discussion can help us all get clarity on our experiences at work.

👉And if this hits home, share it with someone who needs the language to tell the difference.

05/29/2026

If your workplace is toxic, you do NOT have to figure it out alone. 👀

Most organizations wait until turnover spikes, complaints pile up, or employees mentally check out before they take culture seriously. By then? The damage is already expensive.

Whether it’s toxic leadership, communication breakdowns, bullying, or a culture that’s slowly draining your team… that’s what we’re here for. 🤝

Sometimes the first step is simply admitting something feels off. The next step? Calling the right people.

📞 #1 really is the most important.

Grateful for the opportunity to keynote the California Independent School Business Officers Association (Cal-ISBOA 2026)...
05/27/2026

Grateful for the opportunity to keynote the California Independent School Business Officers Association (Cal-ISBOA 2026) HR Workshop on April 20!

I had the pleasure of speaking with a room full of seasoned HR professionals and business officers on Your HR Superpower: Building a Culture of Ownership and Accountability, a topic I could talk about all day.

And can we talk about the venue? The hotel felt like an actual palace. 😄

Huge thank you to Marya Davis, Peggy Marshall, Scarlett Vanyi, and the entire team for the warm welcome and invitation!

Address

3755 Avocado Boulevard, #522
La Mesa, CA
91942

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5am

Telephone

+18585983416

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Civility Partners, Inc posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Civility Partners, Inc:

Shortcuts

Share

Category