Culture Killer #4: Toxic Positivity - Why Avoiding Hard Truths Holds Us Back

I wanted to be helpful, proactive, supportive. I've always been a roll-up your sleeves, get it done gal. But the response I got was unexpected. Instead of energy and engagement, I got awkwardness, redirection, and eventually, distance.

I leaned in to get clarity, only to be dismissed and made to feel like I had imagined the tension.

I regrouped, stayed upbeat, and moved forward. But something had shifted. The relationship suffered.

At first glance, positivity seems like a virtue.

But when it becomes a shield - a way to sidestep discomfort, silence hard truths, or gloss over real issues - it stops helping. It starts hurting.

In many organizations, positivity is not just encouraged - it's expected. Leaders are praised for staying upbeat, even when things are unraveling. But when positivity becomes performative, it prevents the honesty needed for real problem-solving.

It might sound like:
✅ "Let's not dwell on the negative."
✅ "We need to keep morale high."
✅ "That kind of feedback isn't helpful right now."

It may look like resilience. But it's really avoidance. Over time, the cost is steep: trust erodes, issues fester, and risk exposure rises - all while leaders believe they are doing the right thing.

Toxic positivity isn't leadership - it's avoidance or denial wrapped in good intentions.

The most trusted leaders don't avoid the hard stuff. They face it, speak to it, and bring their teams with them. When we stop pretending and start engaging with what's real, we unlock stronger teams, deeper trust, and a culture ready for anything.