âBe more positive.â
âTake initiative.â
But deep down⊠you know itâs not you thatâs the problem.
Because no matter how capable, driven, or committed you areâ
You canât succeed in a system designed for burnout.
You canât be a good employee in a toxic workplace that sets you up to fail.
Hereâs why that truth mattersâand what to do about it:
ð 7 Red Flags That You're in a System, Not a Shortcoming
1ïžâ£ THE GOALPOSTS KEEP MOVING
â³ Expectations shift weekly. Wins are never enough.
â³ Youâre chasing clarity, not just outcomes.
â³ Thatâs not growthâitâs manipulation.
2ïžâ£ YOUâRE PRAISED⊠UNTIL YOU HAVE A NEED
â³ Performers are celebratedâuntil they say âno,â set boundaries, or speak up.
â³ If support is conditional, the culture is broken.
â³ Consistency > conditional praise.
3ïžâ£ YOUâRE GIVEN ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT AUTHORITY
â³ Asked to lead, but not empowered.
â³ Responsible for results, but blocked from real decisions.
â³ Thatâs not ownershipâitâs sabotage in a suit.
4ïžâ£ EVERYTHING IS âURGENTâ
â³ No strategy. Just constant fire drills.
â³ Youâre exhausted, not ineffective.
â³ Chaos isnât a badge of honorâitâs a lack of leadership.
5ïžâ£ YOUâRE TREATED LIKE YOUâRE REPLACEABLE
â³ Told to be grateful. Reminded thereâs always someone else.
â³ But loyalty isnât built on fearâitâs built on mutual respect.
â³ Threats donât inspire excellence. They breed silence.
6ïžâ£ THE PROBLEM IS ALWAYS YOU
â³ Youâre too quiet. Too assertive. Too emotional. Too independent.
â³ In toxic cultures, the individual is blamed instead of the system being fixed.
â³ Thatâs gaslighting, not feedback.
7ïžâ£ YOUâRE GROWING⊠BUT ONLY IN RESILIENCE
â³ Youâre becoming strongerâbut not because of the job.
â³ Youâre just surviving it.
â³ Thereâs a difference between growth and trauma.
Letâs be clear:
ð¡ Struggling in a broken system doesnât mean youâre broken.
ð¡ Being exhausted by dysfunction doesnât mean youâre weak.
ð¡ You can be high-performing and unsupported.
The best employees still fail in toxic environments.
Because success isnât just about effortâitâs about environment.
ð¥ Want to thrive? Prioritize alignment over approval.
ð¥ Want to lead? Build systems that empower, not exhaust.
ð¥ Want to heal? Stop blaming yourself for surviving a system that was never built for you.
You werenât the problem.
The environment was.
â¡ Which of these patterns have you experienced? What helped you break free?
ð Looking to transform your Team into a High-Performing Unit? Contact me to discuss how I can support your team's growth and success.
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