Toxic Behaviors and Courageous Leadership in Practic

Toxic Behaviors and Courageous Leadership in Practice

Toxic behaviors in teams rarely begin with open conflict. They often emerge through subtle patterns—blame, silent power dynamics, victim positioning, triangulation, and a lingering sense that something isn’t quite right. As a leader, you notice it in the energy. In how meetings shift. In how people start holding back, adapting, or getting pulled into recurring loyalty dynamics. It’s rarely about one clear incident—it’s about patterns that, over time, erode trust, psychological safety, and performance. In this session, we explore how toxic behaviors show up in the workplace, with a particular focus on harder-to-detect patterns—especially self-centered vulnerability dynamics. We examine what may feel like manipulation but is often disguised as something else, how victim narratives can create influence, and how subtle interpersonal dynamics can divide a team without anyone fully understanding why. As a leader, you’ll gain clarity, language, and practical strategies to act decisively without escalating tension. You’ll strengthen your ability to make grounded decisions in situations that previously felt unclear or emotionally draining. We’ll also explore why these patterns are so difficult to confront, how they impact psychological safety, and how you can protect both your team—and yourself. The session blends theory, research, and real-world examples with guided reflection, helping you connect the insights directly to your own leadership. When you understand the dynamics, you can break them. And when you lead from a place of stability, you create trust, direction, and focus within your team.

Course overview

• What are toxic behaviors—and what are they not? •

• Self-centered vulnerability patterns in the workplace: characteristics and dynamics

• Victim positioning, blame, and triangulation as tools of influence

• How subtle manipulation impacts team well-being

• The difference between conflict, vulnerability, and destructive patterns

• Common leadership pitfalls: the empathy trap and over-accommodation

• Setting boundaries without triggering escalation

• Protecting psychological safety within the team

• Reflection exercises connected to your own leadership

Duration

2 hours | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Eastern Time, New York, UTC-4)

Target Audience

This session is designed for managers, leaders, and HR professionals.

Teaching Method

Interactive lecture combined with discussions, reflections, and examples.

What previous participants say about the course

• “Highly needed and strongly recommended for supervisors and managers.”

• “Resourceful and highly beneficial.”

• “Jacob was outstanding — his tone, expertise, and delivery were exactly on point.”

-> Personal references are available upon request. See Edvida’s [reference list]. Are you a larger group?

Would you like to book this training for your organization—on-site or delivered digitally on a date of your choice? You’re welcome to request a proposal here.

Prefer to sign up via email?

Send your inquiry to info@edvida.org – we also offer invoice payments