Turning Around a Toxic Team

Toxic teams don’t start that way.
They become that way—slowly, then suddenly.

You see it in side comments, finger-pointing, passive-aggressive messages, lack of accountability, or a team that just… shuts down.

It’s easy to inherit a toxic culture.
Harder—but necessary—to turn it around.

And while many managers hope the problem solves itself, great leaders face it head-on.

Why it matters:

• Culture: Left unaddressed, toxicity spreads faster than any training can fix

• Retention: Good people will leave before the toxic ones do

• Productivity: Dysfunction drains time, energy, and trust

What most managers overlook:

They assume the toxic person is the only problem. But often, it’s deeper—it’s broken trust, unclear norms, weak feedback loops, or silence that’s become the status quo.

In 2021, Tobi Lütke, CEO of Shopify, made headlines for resetting cultural expectations by publicly reinforcing company values and actively addressing cultural drift. He didn’t just point fingers—he reset direction and re-centered the mission.

How to get it right:

• Start with honesty. Acknowledge what’s broken—don’t pretend it’s fine

• Reset expectations. What’s acceptable? What’s not? Make it crystal clear

• Act quickly. One-on-ones, team meetings, individual coaching—don’t delay

• Protect the builders. Support the team members who are still trying to do the right thing

Do:
✅ Model transparency and accountability
✅ Create space for feedback—anonymous if needed
✅ Recognize and reward culture-correcting behaviors

Don’t:
❌ Avoid conflict
❌ Assume toxicity will resolve itself
❌ Let one person drag the whole team down

You don’t just fix a toxic team.
You lead it—out of the mess and into a new future.