10.23.09 – Enabling

There are lots of books about toxic work environments that explain the different personality types in the office. Usually there is advice on how to deflect these people or at least come out of the situation unscathed. For me the most dangerous type is the enabler. This is the person who no matter what their competency (or lack there of), they tend to rise in the organization. A smart and crafty enabler will become “one” with the top person, saying exactly what he/she wants to hear and trying to create precisely what the person wants. Problems arise when the top person is either flat out incompetent or deeply misguided. Instead of saving the person from himself/herself, the enabler helps push them off the cliff while trying to keep their own balance.

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