Sometimes a problem at work can start small and grow to the point where it feels like fixing it is more hassle than it’s worth.  As a manager, sometimes it’s easy to let things continue as they are and sure nobody likes a micro-manager anyway, do they? 
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How much trust is too much trust? Surely an experienced manager can just be trusted to do their job without too much intervention? But even experienced managers can struggle, and senior executives need to know when and how to intervene. This is Sean’s story.
The Ask
Sean, a senior leader, managed several business divisions, including one known for being “difficult”. If the organisation was a car, this division would be the wheels helping to keep everything moving. Sean and others in the organisation knew that the culture was toxic but as long as they delivered their KPIs for the business, leave them at it had been the mantra. He left the details to Denise, the division manager, because honestly… he didn’t want to know. He arranged for her to have some coaching and hoped that would be enough.
However, the time came that when the company planned a large-scale change, Sean realised that the team’s resistance could derail everything, and he needed them on board.  HR interventions had failed, and Denise was trying without success. She was learning how difficult it is for anyone to change a deeply entrenched toxic culture alone – even if that person is the manager. So, when Denise requested external support, Sean agreed. It would be a tough fix, but he knew it would have to come from someone external and that if they could make it work then it would be budget well spent.
That‘s when they called us in to lead a structured team coaching programme to tackle the issue head on. Sean knew the team would resist our interference but decided to let the coaches figure it out – isn’t that their job? 
The Shift
Three key shifts emerged:
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 ​1. Denise’s growth as a leader – This was a crucial shift.  Sean had always had a niggling a about her abilities in the back of his mind.  He was pleased to watch her grow as a leader and is much more confident now in her abilities and that she will actively manage upwards as well as down and across.​​​​
2. A commitment to nurture a healthier culture – There was a toxic group culture with passive aggressive and bullying behaviors which had to be addressed!  Our coaches shone a light on these destructive behaviors and showed them healthier ways of working.
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3. Structural leadership changes. The divisional team lacked diversity in thinking and approach, which created friction when a key personnel change took place. Hiring practices were reviewed, and the issues was now flagged for future hiring decisions.
The Answer
After years of mostly ignoring the problem division, Sean now had a structured process and external coaches to engage with. Again, he took a hands-off approach, trusting the process and relying on the external team to fix the situation. The focus was on addressing harmful behaviors head-on and supporting the team to adopt healthier working practices. Through the programme, our coaches incorporated three stakeholder meetings, to ensure Sean was kept informed and encouraged to support the work being done with the team.
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Without recognition of the systemic issues and the role that senior leadership played in allowing this situation to develop, the toxic culture could easily resurface, particularly if Denise moves on to a new role. 
It looks straightforward when summarised here in a few paragraphs, but the overall process was messy, emotional and personally challenging for staff throughout the division.
​For company executives, the progress made with the team has alleviated the immediate concerns. However, it’s now on the whole system to make sure it’s sustained. Our team recommended systemic changes to support the division to function better however the success here was heavily reliant on Denise’s latent leadership ability and her focus on continuing to support the positive changes achieved.  ​
So What?
Sometimes, a hands-off management style is just neglectful leadership.  Ultimately, a manager is responsible for the areas that report into them and a hands-off management approach, like Sean’s, can enable toxic cultures to thrive. Ignoring a problem in your work culture only allows it to grow, and by the time it becomes urgent it can be deeply rooted and very sticky.
Imagine how much deeper the improvements could have been if the company had taken a more systemic approach to understand the causes?
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If you’ve got a toxic culture or a toxic team anywhere within your organisation and not sure what to do about it, get in contact with us.