Transitioning Your Team After a Toxic Downfall
Company cultures usually don’t start out toxic, they get that way when managers stop having the conversations that make people feel seen, heard, appreciated and invested in. Or, when the manager themselves is the toxic being.
Toxicity is a very fast-growing disease that will take over an entire office if it’s not handled properly. I myself have learned firsthand how not to be a toxic employee/manager from a past experience that flipped the office upside down.
In this article, I’m going to give you some takeaways from my experience in an office that was overtaken by toxicity.
Lead by Example and Communicate with Integrity
As a leader or a manager, you always want to be able to support your team members and lift them up. Yes, sometimes hard conversations are needed, but it is also the delivery of those hard conversations that can either make them or break them.
I used to be a very emotional employee who would take constructive criticism to heart, would beat myself down, and ultimately wear my heart and emotions on my sleeve. The conversation was always negative when had with managers though, and unfortunately, most of the time, would spread like wildfire before the conversation would even be had between myself and the manager.
This starts unnecessary drama and animosity in the workplace. It doesn’t matter what kind of “No Gossip” policy you have written out in your office if you do not abide by it and hold people accountable, especially yourself as a manager. If your team members hear you gossiping about another team member in the office, they are going to not be able to trust you and think that you would talk the same about them behind their back.
Or on the flipside, they will do the same and think they can get away with it because “their manager has said the same thing”. This is where a horrible landslide can happen if you, as the Office Manager, do not lead by example but expect others to do as you say and not as you do.
Key Steps to Rebuild and Strengthen Your Team
Here are some takeaways I have learned to help with rebuilding your team after a toxic downfall.
1. Acknowledge the Downfall
Having open communication with your team is everything. Being able to hold conversations that are uplifting and professional, no matter the situation, will always help your team members.
Hold a team meeting if need needed to be transparent with everyone but to also let them know that you do not stand for toxicity.
If they have questions, do not be afraid to answer them and have an open-door policy. Sometimes, depending on the situation, this can be difficult and you may need to get a consultant involved to assist you with this.
2. Set a New Vision for the Team Culture
Team culture is so very important in any office setting. I always say we spend more time at work with our coworkers than we do at home with our own families. If we cannot get along and respect one another at work, that makes it so much harder to be away from home.
Having your team get involved with creating the team vision for team culture will make them feel appreciated and heard. It will also help you understand what your employees are really looking for. Sometimes, you will learn where the toxic behavior is coming from and who needs to possibly be removed from the office.
3. Be Willing to Make Employee Changes
It doesn’t matter how great of an employee you have or how great their numbers are if they have toxic behaviors. We do not want to tolerate toxic behaviors – if team members are not willing to do some soul searching and adapt after hard conversations, it may be time to start the off-boarding process of said employee.
Of course, no one wants to be understaffed and adding more to their plate, but in the end, what is the point of having someone in the office that is creating more work and problems for you? Personally, I would rather be understaffed and have a healthy team, then keep someone who is negative 24/7 and causing animosity throughout everyone. I promise you, your team and sanity, will thank you in the long run.
4. Hiring Moving Forward
Your hiring process may start to look a little different after a toxic downfall. You’re going to feel like you don’t want to bring anyone else into your space and chance having another toxic culture. Instead of letting yourself feel like that, shift your thoughts to being more positive and think of this as a new beginning.
I have learned, depending on the position we are looking to hire, that I would rather hire someone who has an amazing personality and who will really fit in with our team culture and take the time to train them, than to have someone with all the experience in the world who holds themselves above everyone else and can bring a toxic attitude. I don’t care if I am in the Dunkin drive-thru, if whoever is helping me has a great personality and treats me with a smile and respect, you bet I’m going to let them know we are hiring and would love to have them come to the office for an interview if they are interested!
I have no shame in expressing to someone that they have a great attitude and seeing if they would be a great fit with our team.
5. Lead By Example
This one to me is the biggest one of them all. If you take anything away from this article, please let it be this.
My fiancé once said to me, “Inspect what you Expect,” and it really stuck with me. If I’m expecting so much from my teammates, I’d better inspect myself and make sure that I am holding myself to those same standards, if not higher, as their Office Manager.
Rebuilding a Stronger, United Team
Transitioning your team after a toxic downfall does not happen overnight; it takes time, patience, and a lot of dedication – but it is possible!
Acknowledging the downfall, creating a new vision, making employee changes, and leading by example will all help build that trust with your teammates in moving forward past the toxic downfall. While the journey may be difficult, it is not impossible and a great opportunity for growth as an individual and as a team.
A once toxic team can come up stronger and more united than ever – ready to deliver exceptional patient care – which ultimately is our main goal as dental offices. After all, rebuilding a dental team after a toxic downfall is a lot like pulling teeth—painful at first, but ultimately worth the smile in the end!
About the Author
Nicole Sperone, DAADOM
Nicole is an office manager at Clermont Family Dentistry, with 8 years in the industry. Her passion was in dental assisting, but she soon learned her potential and grew into dental management.
She enjoys spending time with her family and also helps students achieve their Dental Assistant Certificates while working at The Dental Education Institute on the weekends.
Nicole is a proud member of the American Association of Dental Office Management and earned her FAADOM in 2023, her MAADOM in 2024, and achieved her DAADOM in 2025.
