About this episode

The episode discusses how to identify and address toxic workplace cultures with insights from organizational psychologist Aoife O’Brien.

Toxic workplaces come in many different forms that we might not always notice. And because we aren’t all affected in the same ways, even the most well-meaning managers can unintentionally contribute to an unhealthy culture if they aren't paying close attention. Aoife O’Brien is an organizational psychologist, leadership expert, and author of Thriving Talent. Her work focuses on helping organizations create environments where people feel psychologically safe, aligned to meaningful work, and able to perform at their best. In this conversation, we explore what actually makes a workplace toxic, practical ways to spot the early warning signs of an unhealthy culture, and clear, everyday actions you can take to foster trust, respect, and psychological safety. Because culture is something you create moment by moment, not something you merely declare. Conversation Topics (00:00) Introduction (02:21) Types of Toxic Workplaces (and How They Develop) (06:17) Why Toxic Cultures Persist and How to Start Changing Them (10:06) A Framework for Building Thriving Workplaces (13:17) Fostering Psychological Safety at Every Level (17:58) Understanding What Actually Drives People at Work (21:05)…

People in this episode

Host: Mamie Kanfer Stewart

Guest: Aoife O’Brien

Topics covered

• toxic workplace culture
• psychological safety
• organizational psychology
• leadership
• trust and respect
• employee performance

Keywords

• toxic workplaces
• workplace culture
• psychological safety
• leadership
• organizational health
• employee engagement

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Thriving Talent

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