06/10/2025
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲?
We've all witnessed it – the well-meaning survivor who's weathered every storm, yet when it's time to embrace change, they're anchored in the past. The cost? Innovation, growth, team culture, and sometimes team survival.
In the high seas of organizational volatility, some managers adopt a bunker mentality. Feeling besieged, it can feel natural to reward the most personally loyal team members and bond with those colleagues over shared fears and grievances.
These are often the teams that get labeled as "toxic," in healthcare and beyond.
The tragedy of this situation is that, in many cases, it's a situation of good people who "survive" their way into a toxic dynamic.
For senior leaders, it's tricky ground. Making a change is not always fast or easy for a whole host of reasons. But the sooner that direct open dialogue can be started with a manager who needs to ultimately move on to a new role or elsewhere, the better it is for everyone, including the manager.
In an ideal situation, direct dialogue creates an opportunity for the misplaced manager to buy in to their own transition out of the role because they're able to finally admit that they are suffering and that they know it's time for a change.
What's your experience with a manager who needs to move on to make way for growth and change?
Hit the comments and share!
