'Toxic' is one of those words we hear more and more about these days. Whether you are talking about a toxic person, relationship or workplace, the result is the same. It leaves the individual dealing with them feeling worse, more stressed and more upset.
Journalism has a bad reputation for toxic bosses. In an article with JournoResources, senior staff writer Faima Bakar goes in-depth as to why and how toxicity is allowed to brew in newsrooms, detailing cases of verbal abuse in newsrooms and poor leadership training amongst the higher-ups.
But what can individual journalists do if they are finding work impossible due to how they are being treated by their boss?
Before heading to the HR department (if you have one), it might be worth trying to resolve the relationship directly. Bakar writes that you need to understand "what makes your boss tick" to try and deepen the relationship, making it easier to approach them with concerns. But be prepared to call things quits if the relationship seems untenable.
"If you don't think it's workable, you can start to put in place plans to leave."
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