Is It Toxic? Your Questions Answered with Benish Shah

2026-01-01

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We throw the word toxic around a lot at work, but how do you actually know when an environment is truly toxic versus just uncomfortable, stressful, or not the right fit? In this episode, I'm bringing back this conversation with my late friend and colleague Benish Shah to talk about workplace toxicity, psychological safety, covert bias, weaponized vulnerability, and more. Benish shares tips for identifying toxic patterns, protecting yourself in unsafe environments, and making thoughtful exit plans when leaving isn’t immediately possible. Tune in to learn how to r...

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Are workplaces more toxic, or do we just have better language now?

03:30 How leadership avoidance quietly creates toxic cultures.

09:00 What is toxicity?

13:00 A self-assessment to determine if your workplace is toxic.

18:15 How to know if it’s actually safe to be vulnerable at work.

22:00 How to make an exit plan when you can’t quit right away.

29:00 Tips if your toxic boss is making your job unbearable.

34:30 How to safely check if others are experiencing the same toxicity.

37:30 What to do if you are the toxic one.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever