Some company cultures are marked by mistrust and paranoia, which leads to a slew of negative outcomes: poor performance, burnout, turnover, and cheating. People who worry about the behavior of others spread gossip and are prone to backstabbing. That brings out the worst in their colleagues, leading cynics’ suspicion and distrust to become self-fulfilling prophecies. The good news is that cynicism has antidotes. Tactics include redirecting the organizational culture toward collaboration and trust and making sure that all managers—not just those at the top—are modeling trusting behaviors and combating cynicism in their interactions. Read More