The Number-One Sign of a Toxic Workplace

Workplace drama isn’t harmless. It’s a culture problem.

Matt Hunter • January 6, 2026

When it comes to drama, tough leaders have a zero-tolerance policy.

Back-channeling, gossiping, rumors, and politicking happen in almost every organization—but tough leaders know that these behaviors aren’t harmless. They’re signals that something is off.

If you start to catch the whiff of drama in your organization, it’s a signal that something is not right in the culture: poor communication, conflict avoidance, or underlying power struggles that need to be addressed ASAP.

Left unchecked, drama creates cultures of distrust and takes everyone’s time and energy away from the work at hand.

Drama is one of the telltale signs of a toxic work environment, and tough leaders know how to shut it down on the spot.

An effective leader doesn’t create, fuel, or tolerate drama. They do the opposite. Leadership means addressing conflicts early and directly—and refusing to entertain conversations about someone who isn’t in the room. If you notice side conversations, rumors, or cliques forming, be the one who stops it cold.

Keeping drama out of your organization means keeping communication open, turning on feedback, and intervening the moment you notice something is off. When conflicts arise, the rule of thumb is always: go straight to the source. Encourage both parties to talk it out face to face (or on the phone, at a minimum). To avoid miscommunication and crossed wires, emotionally tense matters should never be discussed over email, Slack, or text.

If you catch a co-worker venting about another team member, interrupt the cycle: “Have you talked to her about this yet?” If they haven’t, coach them to go directly to that person. It might feel uncomfortable, but it’s the only way real problems get solved, and growth happens.

Well-intentioned, yet ineffective, leaders indulge in each person’s private gossip and back-channeling, then try to play the hero by running between parties, attempting to "resolve" the conflict behind the scenes. They often believe they’re working overtime to keep people happy, but in reality, they’re the ones proliferating drama and toxicity—and modeling that behavior for everyone else. This is the toxic approach. It not only fuels the drama but also undermines trust and accountability. And as an executive coach, I can tell you: it happens everywhere. You might be surprised at how common this is.

Going direct isn’t just about integrity; it’s also about efficiency. It clears up resentment, builds trust, and fosters real connections. And it cuts down on the wasted time and energy that gossiping and politicking eat up. Leaders who promote honest, face-to-face dialogue create healthier, stronger teams.

Here’s the golden rule: when you escalate the conversation directly to the person or people involved, you evaporate the drama.

Let’s take a quick look at a few common scenarios. As you’ll see, going direct and stopping drama in its tracks is fast, clear, and effective. The feedback model we’re using is the Tough Enough Feedback System, inspired by Nonviolent Communication but significantly expanded for high-stakes leadership, and introduced in my forthcoming co-authored book, Tough Enough.

Scenario: A team member starts venting about another colleague.

You: "I’m hearing that you’re feeling frustrated about how [Colleague’s Name] handled the project (Observation). Would you be open to talking with them about this? I’m happy to support you in preparing for that conversation if you’d like (Request)."

Scenario: Two team members are gossiping about a third colleague.

You: "I’m noticing we’re talking about [Colleague’s Name] without them here (Observation), and I’m concerned because I value direct and respectful communication (Feeling & Need). I’d love for us to have this conversation with [Colleague’s Name] involved so they can share their perspective and we can clear this up together (Request). Can I help set that up?"

Scenario: A team member vents about feeling unsupported by a peer.

You: "It sounds like you were feeling unsupported by [Colleague’s Name] during the project handoff (Observation). Have you had a chance to share this with them directly? (Request). I’m happy to help you think through how to approach the conversation if that would be helpful."

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