But often, they pay a huge personal price. The conflict needs to be handled well. But another source of great tension that also needs the toxic handler to intervene, or be present to, is the abusive manager. The CEI was a way I described to audiences what typically happens when office pain and anger are not processed well. Y then goes off and meets employee Z, and the cycle is repeated.
Toxic handlers help by listening to peoples' distress.
This role, of course, is quite informal in the organization and if these corporate healers are not careful, they can get burned out very quickly. They are proactive about organizational pain and look for ways to prevent it. They keep confidences so that employees trust them with their secrets. The new workplace is a challenge for all of us. It is new mental and emotional territory and demands the best we can give, personally and professionally.