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Q: Last week, a senior journalist passed away reported due to undue stress in the newsroom. The boss gets very toxic, we are told. A few years back, there were the me-too charges being levelled against many media bosses. Now, it’s this one, thought only with one such editor. But does it speak for the leadership scene in news media offices?
A: A disclaimer : My answer to your question doesn’t purport to a specific empirical case. It’s a generic answer to a global concern to stress in the workplace.
Stress is now a sector-neutral ailment that is plaguing organisations across the globe. It emanates from individual (boss or a colleague), from lifestyle of an individual, from the nature of competitiveness in an industry, etc. Toxicity from a boss, as part of an internal culture (established over a period of time through conscious non-cognisance of a widespread corporate culture) is now a given, though it might differ by sector or specific organisation (not confined to media organisations or to a function only). Sometimes, the ego trip of a boss/ functional head can lead to severance of services or stagnancy in the function. Then there is gender-based exploitation. The dominant culture in such situations is “my way or highway”. No agreement with “my way” could have unpleasant repercussions. Come to think of it, any profession, where recognition of one’s commitment is equated with bestowing personal favour, and making the recipient feel obligated, becomes a fertile ground for sowing the seeds of toxicity in an organisation.
There is no panacea for this ailment unless the head of the organisation takes specific steps to amplify by meaningful action to discourage any toxicity in the organisation. Of course, one should leave such a workplace to restore mental sanity.
Some of the possible steps can be:
* proactive engagement with employees in positive ways that show tangible results
* create a safe space for healthy discussions with a cross-functional team
* leaders to lead from front and by example
* acknowledge contributions of staff members in the organisational functioning
* tap into the unique strengths of team members
* a gender-sensitive inclusive culture can ensure amelioration of toxic environment
* reprimand/ punish the offender to showcase no tolerance to a deviant behaviour that perpetuates toxicity in the workplace.
To implement the above is easier said than done, as it would involve mindful leadership and ethical governance. Somewhere the beginning has to happen. And that’s where mindful leadership has to play a significant role.