Maybe you have picked up some hints in previous episodes- psychopathy, mobbing, toxic gossips and so much more combined in one toxic sludge of an employer. That employer served as the meeting place for our hosts, and the origin story for this podcast. Fortunately, that employer is no more. Sniff. Sniff. In this episode, Stella and Roberta share more details about the most toxic environment they ever had to tolerate. Hear details about "the BBQ", learn which department started the ...
And we are BACK with the first episode of the beloved (and dreaded) Workplace Horror Stories! This year, Roberta kicks things off with a special guest, Kristen Kaelin Campbell. Kristen is a people person, HR professional, and general awesomeness in a sweet/sassy package. Get chills up your spine with creepy old men, demonic store managers, and a delightful scare at the end that will leave you in tears...laughing anyway!Join us for this delightful journey down the dark side of the ...
We have heard "you are what you eat!" since our grade school years. As we learn more about the health risks associated with ultra processed foods, excessive sugar, and bad fats, it got us wondering- could a toxic diet contribute to toxic personalities?It appears that there is a correlation between bad diet and bad behaviors. According to Science Daily, a "balanced diet is associated with better mental health, superior cognitive functions, and higher amounts of gray matter in the brain."...
...and you aren't even part of that religion necessarily!Grab a seat and pour a hot cup of tea- we are tackling a "taboo" subject-religion- but from a specific point of view. We will explore just a few ways in which deeply held personal religious beliefs from one or more individuals can serve to alienate, exclude, or even harm others in surprising ways. Be it a religious display in schools and government buildings to which company holidays are provided, the conversation around religion'...
Hot and humid conditions don't stop us from sipping the hot tea supplied by you- our darling audience! We added a couple of gems the Internet had to offer just to keep things at the right temp- kind of like adding ice to your tea. Are we good with the tea references? Outstanding!This episode provides laughs, sneers, a little bit of judgement and the candor you have come to expect from Stella and Roberta. Enjoy!There will be an end-of-summer episode planned for dipping more te...
We have spoken extensively about the overt abuser- the screamer, the bully, even the psychopath (remember- it has been estimated that 25% of CEOs are psychopathic- makes so much more sense!). What about the covert abuser?The aggressor that plays victim. The low-key schemer. The saboteur. According to Psychology Today, the abuse from these muted narcissistic bandits is no less harmful than the full-on assault of their puffed-up psychopathic counterparts. We felt it w...
Education. Whether public or private, our education system (and the support system around it) serves as the foundation for generational growth- or the development of toxic behaviors that last well into adulthood. Technology has changed education. Laptops issued in grade school, apps to request a bathroom pass, and virtual classrooms necessitated by the pandemic have changed how our students- and the next generation of workers- interact. Are we creating a more fragile- ...
Toxic traits are found in the boardroom and the bedroom; understanding how to identify the behaviors that tied to underlying toxic traits enables you to avoid emotional vampires, constant complainers, and head off career-limiting and maddening people. Join your hosts as one tests the other on an introspective, educational and empowering episode! Toxic Traits- Better HelpSigns of a Toxic Person- WebMDTraits of Toxic People- PurewowGet toxic-free employees with a better recruiting p...
Up to 99% of domestic violence victims add financial abuse to the sickening list of verbal, physical, and emotional abuse inflicted upon them by their partner. Control of family finances, refusal to share information on the status of those finances, and even hiding/downplaying money, retirement savings, pensions, and life insurance are all too common. Financial abuse is not restricted to these relationships, however. The parent that obtains credit in a child's name. The child berates an...
Projections- gaslighting in 3D- are both aggressive and defensive mechanisms that we find equally fascinating and frustrating. In the office, these projections can create a narrative that alters how others perceive you. In your personal life, these projections create dysfunctional- even abusive- relationships. Your hosts discuss examples of projections at work, home, and even a police officer in a convenience store. Listen to how to identify projections, deflect those projec...
After a year (!) of providing content on toxic work environments, your hosts had an epiphany. Toxic behaviors are the cause of toxic work environments; toxic people exhibit toxic behaviors. Toxic people don't leave work and become different people- so what happens to the families, friends, and communities infected with toxicity? It was worth adding chairs to the table to spill even more tea.Don't worry- we are not abandoning the workplace; rather, we are expanding beyond it to incl...
Forget chocolates and roses—Stella and Roberta are serving up a brew of workplace reality in the Toxic Tea Room podcast. This episode, they're dissecting the love-hate dynamics of Valentine's Day and how it mirrors our relationships with toxic work practices. From the passive-aggressive notes to the stifling effect of micromanagement, they're spilling the tea on what makes workplaces tick... or explode. Get ready for a dose of tough love and hard truths that will make you rethink your office ...
"Greed is good," said Gordon Gekko of "Wall Street" fame, with hair slicked back and hardened- as if his pomade was hand-wrung from the ink of his petroleum stocks. Talking on impossibly large cell phones (by today's standards), drinking, drugs, and the ever-present insider trading, "Wall Street" encapsulated the extremes of 1980s capitalistic worship- and all of its downfalls. Today's Gordon Gekkos look relaxed in front of CNBC cameras, a sportcoat at most, waxing poetic verse about the gran...
Ah, the performance review. One of the most anticipated- and dreaded- events of the year, as these reviews often come with annual raises- which takes you down a whole other rabbit hole of how these reviews come together, and the reindeer games that ensue. Reindeer games? It is no longer the holiday season. Let it go, gang.A survey of 837 companies performed by WTW revealed that only 26% of those surveyed felt their performance appraisal process was effective. A Gallup ...
Bottles empty and resolutions made? Great! Your hosts ring in the New Year with a new season...and the same bullsh*t. Join Stella and Roberta as they discuss workplace trends for 2024. Worker burnout? Check. Relationship reset? Check. Remote work over? Or is It? Check and check. It's confusing.Lack of trust in leadership? Check. Non-competes? Check. ...and more!2024 Workplace Trends- My Perfect ResumeAnticipated Workplace Trends in 2024- The Lasalle NetworkWorkplace Trends to Watch in 2...
Stella and Roberta reflect on the past year, from events to guests to general hilarity. The Toxic Tearoom thanks its listeners for a wonderful first year! From That One Booth Productions, your hosts, our sponsors and the cast that makes this all possible, have a wonderful holiday and a safe and prosperous New Year!The 70 Best New Years Resolutions for 2024- The Pioneer WomanThe Right Way to Ring In the New Year At the OfficeInspirational Quotes for 2024 (The First One Is Our Fave!)Resolve to ...
In this second installment of holiday parties, your hosts are joined by Robert Bain, a veteran of the transportation industry, husband, father, and, oh, one of the strongest human beings in the USA- and the Strongest Man in Logistics. Do you think you are stronger than Bain (as he likes to be called)? Bring receipts or it didn't happen. Bain has squatted over 1,000 pounds (or 453kg for our international audience)! Bain has also seen many questionable things happen at holiday parti...
The season is upon us! December is a magical month, hosting major holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Eid al-Fitr. It is a time of warm greetings, festive decor, bustling activities and making memories- so, so, many memories. That would include memories we would rather forget. Your hosts kick off the holiday season with stories curated to highlight the toxicity of the workplace holiday party. Casual or formal, plus one or solo, these events are always well-intend...
Today's Israel is equal parts holy land and hell; your worldview determines which side you view as which, though the reality is far more fluid than fixed. The conflict is both foreign and familiar, distant and next door all at once. The issues are simple, yet complex; death is the singularity that underscores the shouts from protestors and screams of suddenly orphaned children. The headlines are terrifying; the images crush your soul. As of this recording, there is still no end in...
Clouds gather in a once clear sky. The light gray wisps change to deepening shades of threat. Breezes that dance with your hair morph into slaps across your face. You race for shelter as the first violent drops fall from the sky; no pace is sufficient to avoid the emotions in the drops that drench you to your bones. You reach the door, relieved. The decision turns the knob and you step inside, where relief turns to despair- the swirling chaos of the storm replaces the shelte...