Episode 21 – 6 Questions to Ask if You’re in a Toxic Higher Ed Workplace [Pt. 1]

A few weeks ago, I re-released a previous podcast episode that addressed the topic of toxic work environments in higher education. To date, that episode remains one of the most downloaded of the Rise with Clarity Podcast. First of all, thanks so much for tuning in! I really appreciate it. 

And second, it makes me wonder how many of you are currently experiencing some form of toxicity in a higher ed work environment. And how you are managing this?

In that earlier episode, I discussed some of the reasons why many academics are choosing to leave their faculty positions, and how toxic and hostile workplaces play a big role in this decision. 

I also included a checklist that I adapted from a book called Rising Above a Toxic Workplace, that helps you to identify whether you might be in a toxic higher ed work environment. If you missed it, you can listen to that episode or read the full written transcript at RisewithClarity.com/18.

Now it’s one thing to identify and acknowledge that you are in a toxic workplace, and another thing to figure out what you’re going to do about it.

What are your next steps?

I thought that it would be helpful to do a follow up to that episode, which I’m planning to do as a series. So stay tuned for future ones!

While it seems oversimplistic to boil this down to just two questions: 

Should you stay 

or

Should you go? 

(as The Clash would have it), I think this is actually one practical starting point for many of you when considering how to navigate a very toxic work situation. You may have already mapped out, for instance, a Pros and Cons list for staying and for leaving.

So in this 21^st episode, I’m going to be focusing on that first question:

Do you want to stay at your current institution?

Was it a soul crushing moment when you realized that you are currently in a toxic and hostile work environment? After all, you worked so hard to land a tenure track position in a challenging job market. And you came in with the best of intentions and the highest hopes that it was going to work out for you.

The actions of a few toxic individuals, however, can really infect an entire department, and create a hostile work climate for not just faculty, but also staff and graduate students. Toxicity can manifest in many different ways:

-Hidden agendas and lack of open communication

-Deeply entrenched faculty fault lines

-Coercive behavior

-Harassment and bullying, particularly inflicted by senior colleagues onto junior colleagues

-Colleagues in positions of power who see these behaviors and choose to be bystanders

-A culture of retaliation

-The shifting of goalposts for different members of the faculty

-Microaggressions or racialized aggressions

-Pervasive gossip and the weaponization of social media

Add onto this the fact that you’re the “lonely only” in your department. If you don’t have any allies in such an environment, this can lead to a really isolating and miserable experience for you.

But since your salary is supporting your family, and your children are enrolled in school, then going back on the academic job market is not a decision that you can take lightly.

In this case, staying may seem to be your only option.

While you’ve seen other academics post their quit-lit on social media, throwing in the higher ed towel for other industries, you’re not in a position to do that right now. Nor is this something that interests you.

I know that I’ve painted a pretty grim picture here. But it tracks with what I’ve heard from some of former clients as well as a number of professors who have left academia. And to a certain extent, my last work environment exhibited many of these toxic elements, leading to a climate of low morale and overall dysfunction.

So, if you’re in this kind of situation, how do you even begin to navigate this? I don’t have a one-size-fits-all solution for you because each situation is unique with different stakes and different circumstances.

But I do have 6 questions that can help you to get started on figuring out how you may be able to stay at your current institution in a slightly more sustainable way.

6 Questions to Ask Yourself if You Want to Stay at Your Institution

1) Do you have the knowledge, sense, or faith that things may change for the better in 2-3 years? Sometimes, the departure or retirement of certain individuals in your department can substantially change the dynamic. Or the arrival of a new dean can help to address certain issues within a department and ameliorate the climate.

2) Are you able to find support within and outside of your department to help you meet your goals on the tenure track? If you don’t have the support of many of your colleagues in your department, identifying allies and mentors on your campus or in your discipline can be extremely helpful. 

Along similar lines, do you have friends and family who can also help provide a supportive environment for you outside of your academic position?

3) If you are experiencing any form of harassment, are there structures of support available to you within your university? Sometimes, it may be necessary to speak with an administrator or someone in the Ombuds office to learn more about your options moving forward—like filing a grievance or a complaint. This is a topic that I think has many dimensions and deserves to be a full episode in the future.

Now with the remaining three questions, I want to direct attention towards self-inquiry and personal development.

4) How do you want to show up in situations that involve conflict? Are there things that you can learn about yourself and how you respond in these types of situations? 

5) What are your core values in relation to work? If you are able to gain clarity on the things that you really love about your job, then you may be able to advocate for projects or work that are more in alignment with your professional values. You may not be able to extricate yourself from the toxic work environment for the moment, but you can at least try focusing your energy on things that you really enjoy. If you’re unsure about how to identify your core values, please listen to a previous podcast episode that I’ve published at RisewithClarity.com/19.

6) In five years time, how would you like to grow as an individual and where would you like to be? Are there certain things that you can take away from this professional experience or lessons learned that will help set you up for your next job? Or do you think a slight pivot within your role at your institution will help to pave the way for your next position? 

These last three questions:

How do you want to show up in situations that involve conflict?

What are your core values in relation to work? 

And in 5 years, how would you like to grow as an individual?

…These questions are not intended to minimize your challenging work environment and to be a form of toxic positivity. Sometimes you need to just acknowledge that you are in fact in an unhealthy work environment.

But asking yourself these questions can help to redirect the focus to you and your professional journey. It can help to reframe the situation for what your non-negotiables are, and what you need for your growth.

I do hope, however, that by beginning this reflection process you can start to feel less stuck or helpless in your toxic work environment. 

Finding trusted allies or working with a coach can be very beneficial in these situations.

I’m happy to serve as your confidential thinking partner and sounding board to help you stand in your values, take next steps, and move forward.

Feel free to reach out to me through my website at RisewithClarity.com. I’d love to hear from you.

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Additional Resources

Audiovisual:

Stay or Leave a Toxic Job?: Panel Discussion hosted by Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands and featuring Dr. Monica Cox, DeShaunda Gooden Warner, Stephanie Mitchell Hughes, and Sonia Williams-Lewis

Podcast:

Toxic Workplaces and Bullying (Self-Compassionate Professor Podcast) hosted by Danielle De La Mare and featuring Michelle D. Wilson.

How to Survive a Toxic Boss (Brown Table Talk Podcast) hosted by Dee C. Marshall and Mita Mallick

Articles:

A 10-Point Plan to End Toxic Workplaces in Higher Ed in Inside Higher Ed by Richard Orbé-Austin.

Toxic Workplaces Leave Employees Sick, Scared, and Looking for an Exit by Scott Sleek. (Featured on the American Psychological Association website.

10 Symptoms of a Toxic Work Environment + How to Fix It by Caileen Kehayas Holden. (Featured on Career Contessa website)

Ten Rules of Succeeding in Academia through Upward Toxicity in Times Higher Education by Irina Dumitrescu