Blog

When a Toxic Workplace Becomes Your Turning Point: Choosing to Grow

By Bonnie Artman Fox / June 19, 2025
Posted in: | | |

When you’re working in a toxic or dysfunctional environment, it can feel like you’re stuck between two painful options: leave… or stay and endure. But what if there’s a third option? One that puts your well-being, growth, and inner strength at the center of your decision—not just survival. This is the perspective I want to…

Read More

When Your Best Performer Starts Slipping: The Hidden Cost of Incivility

By Bonnie Artman Fox / June 5, 2025
Posted in: | | |

When your best performer starts slipping, you’re not just seeing a dip in productivity; you’re witnessing the hidden cost of incivility ripple through your team. You know the employee I’m talking about. You know the employee I’m talking about. The one who’s always gone above and beyond. Shows up early. Delivers quality work. Encourages her…

Read More

3 Subtle Ways You May Be Undermining Your Work Culture

By Bonnie Artman Fox / May 29, 2025
Posted in: | | |

It doesn’t always take a major disruption to damage work culture. Sometimes, all it takes is letting things slide, over and over again. In my time as a family therapist and now as a workplace conflict expert, I’ve seen it too often: issues are ignored in the name of empathy or avoidance, and by the…

Read More

Leadership Isn’t About Comfort – It’s About Courage

By Bonnie Artman Fox / May 22, 2025
Posted in: | | |

In every workplace, there are moments that test your leadership. Moments where the right decision is clear, but uncomfortable. Leadership isn’t about comfort – it’s about courage. When faced with an employee who mistreats others, a high-performer who crosses boundaries, or a peer whose conduct is damaging trust…what do you do? Do you step in?…

Read More

How Do You Stay Level-Headed When Demands Exceed Your Inner Resources?

By Bonnie Artman Fox / March 20, 2025
Posted in: | | |

How do you stay level-headed when leadership often comes with high-pressure situations, difficult conversations, tough decisions, and unexpected challenges? Some leaders seem to navigate these moments with ease, staying calm even when tensions are high. But the reality is that level-headed leadership isn’t a natural trait, it’s a learned skill. The ability to remain composed…

Read More

Finding Common Ground: The Journey of Difficult Conversations

By Bonnie Artman Fox / March 13, 2025
Posted in: | |

The Journey of difficult conversations is a reality for every leader, manager, and professional. They can feel like climbing a steep mountain, challenging, uncomfortable, and sometimes overwhelming. These are the conversations that make your stomach churn, your palms sweaty, and your heart race. And yet, avoiding them doesn’t make the issue disappear. Lately, I’ve been…

Read More

3 Tips to Turn Humor into Healthy Conflict and Bring Your Team Together

By Bonnie Artman Fox / March 6, 2025
Posted in: | | |

Are you the one on your team who brings comic relief to difficult conversations in an attempt to bring your team together? When things get tense, do you crack a joke to lighten the mood? While humor can break the tension and provide a temporary laugh, it can also prevent teams from addressing real issues.…

Read More

3 Scripts to Set Boundaries & Elevate Your Leadership Credibility

By Bonnie Artman Fox / February 20, 2025
Posted in: | | |

I have three scripts to support you if you’re a leader looking to elevate your leadership credibility. Dear {Name}, “I’m a people pleaser. Growing up I was the one in my family who tried to make everyone happy when my parents argued. I wanted everyone to get along. I know this is affecting how I…

Read More

5 Ways People-Pleasing Undermines Leadership Credibility

By Bonnie Artman Fox / February 13, 2025
Posted in: | | |

Have you ever considered how people-pleasing undermines leadership credibility? Of course, being considerate, respectful, and approachable are admirable traits in a leader. But what if being “too nice” is promoting artificial harmony on your team? When conflict arises, do you avoid difficult conversations for the sake of keeping the peace? If so, the result can…

Read More

Blueprint for Managing Abrasive Leaders Effectively

By Bonnie Artman Fox / February 6, 2025
Posted in: | | |

Is Managing Abrasive Leaders Costing You Great Employees? High-performing employees drive results, but when their behavior is abrasive, the cost to morale, engagement, and retention is undeniable. Many leaders hesitate to address the issue, after all, these individuals bring in revenue, lead projects, and deliver results. But at what cost? When employees feel disrespected, they…

Read More