You can feel it the moment you walk into a room: Some teams are buzzing with energy, trust, and purpose — while others feel tense, drained, or stuck in survival mode.

But what actually makes the difference between a toxic team and a thriving one?

And more importantly: what can you, as a current or future leader, do to create a culture where people feel safe, supported, and motivated?

In this post, we’ll explore the key characteristics of toxic versus thriving teams, what causes the difference — and how to start shifting your own team culture toward growth and performance.

Toxic teams: What they look and feel like

Toxic teams are draining — emotionally, mentally, and often physically.

And unfortunately, they’re more common than you might think.

Common Signs of a Toxic Team:

• Lack of trust: People are afraid to speak up, challenge ideas, or admit mistakes.
• Blame culture: Mistakes are punished, and accountability is deflected.
• Silos and gossip: Departments or individuals operate in isolation, often leading to passive-aggressive dynamics.
• Burnout and disengagement: Team members feel overworked, undervalued, and emotionally exhausted.
• Top-down micromanagement: Control is valued over collaboration.

Toxicity often stems from poor leadership, unclear expectations, unaddressed conflict, or chronic stress without support.

Thriving teams: What they look and feel like

Thriving teams feel different. They’re energetic, connected, and future-focused.

People are not only productive — they’re also growing, contributing, and feeling genuinely proud of their work.

Common Signs of a Thriving Team:

• High psychological safety: People feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and admit mistakes without fear.
• Shared ownership: Accountability is mutual — success and failure are shared learning opportunities.
• Open communication: There’s transparency, active listening, and honest feedback.
• Supportive culture: Leaders care about wellbeing, and team members celebrate each other.
• Creativity and innovation: People aren’t afraid to try new things — failure is seen as part of growth.

The difference often comes down to leadership — not just in title, but in how someone shows up for their team every day.

What causes a team to stop thriving

Many teams don’t start out toxic — they become toxic over time due to:

• Chronic stress and poor workload management
• Unclear roles and expectations
• Lack of trust in leadership
• Failure to address difficult team dynamics

But the good news? Culture can be healed.

Teams can transform when leadership becomes more intentional, empathetic, and resilient.

Common Mistakes Leaders Make (That Feed Toxicity)

Even well-meaning leaders can fall into patterns that damage trust and team health:

• Avoiding conflict instead of addressing it early
• Micromanaging out of fear instead of delegating with trust
• Overworking themselves and their team instead of modeling balance
• Ignoring emotions or signs of stress, assuming “work is work”

If you recognize yourself in any of these — you’re not alone. Leadership is learned, and healing starts with awareness.

Key takeaways

✅ Toxic teams are often defined by fear, blame, and burnout
✅ Thriving teams prioritize trust, collaboration, and shared ownership
✅ Leadership habits directly shape team health and performance
✅ You don’t have to be perfect — but you do have to be present, intentional, and open to growth

If you’re leading a team — or preparing to — the way you lead shapes everything.

Not just results, but relationships, energy, and long-term success.

You can be the kind of leader who creates a culture where people feel safe, strong, and excited to show up.

And the first step? Awareness and growth.

Read more about the Thriving Teams programs to find support in turning a team around.

Read more here about strategies to help you step into your leadership role with confidence, heart and clarity.