What do you think makes an agency toxic? I think it’s when management listens to every little piece of gossip and encourages backstabbing. At least that’s what I’m experiencing now. They schedule a lot of 1:1 meetings to seemingly check-in. But instead of helping, they use the time to talk about coworkers not in the room and ask what I think of them and how I think they’re going. And of course they’re prob doing the same think behind my back. 🙄

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In my experience toxic was having creatives who were bullies. Like make people cry bullies. And leadership was so absent that they just let it go in. And then they’d promote the bullies and everyone else would quit. Average tenure of 18 months told the tale of dysfunction. But we had “rah rah” meeting all the time like it was all good.

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Agreed, this feels more accurate with my experience.

People scheduling 1:1s to talk about others is def not cool - but on the other hand, they’re looking for someone to share their burden with, to create a bond with, to preserve their sanity, because they feel disempowered themselves.

I don’t believe in the rule that they’re probably talking sh t about you too, though you are right to stay vigilant, OP!

Leave this toxic environment. Because even if it’s not the absolute worst kind of toxicity like bullying, general office unhappiness is still toxic.

Good luck!

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*thing

Yikes. That sounds like a toxic culture or possibly it’s the manager

I’ve experienced it as well on the agency side and it’s like a game of telephone and no one wants to have confrontation.

Do we work together?

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