547. Overcoming Toxicity from the Inside Out: Building Resilience and Driving Change - Dr. Kevin Sansberry II

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Overview

Meet Dr. Kevin. He’s a seasoned behavioral scientist, executive coach, and host of the Toxic Leadership Podcast🎧 He’s bringing his expertise in eradicating toxic behaviors and promoting employee well-being through evidence-based, inclusive, and equitable approaches. Plus, he’s sharing strategies to transform cultures, build resilience, and activate change. Tune in to learn about the role of humanity, kindness, listening, and reflection in building healthy workplace cultures 🤝🌱

💡 Learn

How Toxic Workplace Cultures Manifest
The Retention Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
How individuals and teams can activate to build resilience

Today’s Guest

Dr. Kevin Sansberry II, Behavioral Scientist, Executive Coach + Host, Toxic Leadership Podcast

“It’s important for individuals in power to do more listening.”

— Dr. Kevin Sansberry II

Episode Transcript

Download Full Episode Transcript Here

Episode Highlights

Dr. Kevin’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
How toxic workplace cultures manifest (9:00)
Values (15:00)
Behavioral specificity (17:00)
How power dynamics within nonprofits exacerbate or mitigate toxic behavior among leaders (22:00)
How toxic leadership affects employee retention + turnover rates (27:00)
Culture vs. climate (39:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Dr. Kevin’s life (45:00)
Dr. Kevin’s One Good Thing: Be kind. Build kind cultures. Lead kindly. (48:00)

Impactful Quotes

“My main goal is to ensure that humanity is centered in how we operate.” -Dr. Kevin

“When we talk about toxic workplaces and toxic leadership I’m not labeling a person, we’re labeling behaviors.” -Dr. Kevin

“This is why values are so important. If we aren’t modeling them, then what does it matter?” -Jon

“Most companies have corporate values, but they’re on the website and the wall and we don’t have a mechanism to measure up to the values.” -Dr. Kevin

“Ask yourself, “as a leader, am I doing this value and how?” -Dr. Kevin

“Leaders uphold the entire culture.” -Dr. Kevin

“It’s important for individuals in power to do more listening.” -Dr. Kevin

“Go to people. Take the lead in seeking out feedback as a speaker.” -Dr. Kevin

“Leadership teams need to make a formalized structure of reflection.” -Dr. Kevin

“Leaders need to upend the hurry sickness by pausing, reflecting, and looking back.” -Dr. Kevin

“What are the avenues that we have to communicate upwardly?” -Dr. Kevin

“Culture takes years to change. We can make shifts in climate more rapidly.” -Dr. Kevin

“We can all be that change. There is so much hope and opportunity.” -Jon

“Where is our culture strategy? That’s the foundation of every outcome we will have.”- Dr. Kevin

“My intent in who we all think we are is based on who we want to be, propped up by our biases, mental models and childhood. Who you’re trying to be is not necessarily the way. How are we impacting people? Go from that angle.” - Dr. Kevin