Having managed at Rooney & Rooney, P.A. for a while now, I have encountered many different personality types. However, I can honestly say that there has not been one member of our team who I have not been able to mold into a productive team member.

Upon hiring we have found that a few prospective and past employees were what some people would identify as “toxic”. This terminology does not translate to our firm as it is now though. We have built enough of a positive team and family environment, that one person would not be able to bring it down. This is the first step in creating productive team members.

The second is to have a clear command structure. In our office there is no question that the Partners run the show; but the Office Manager runs the day-to-day operations. If there are questions about procedure, issues between staff members, or even questions about ordering office supplies, those questions are filtered through the Office Manager first. If it is necessary, it will then be taken to the Partners. Every member of the staff knows the phrase “That’s a Jane question”.

The employees also know that having a question is okay. We emphasize during training that we would prefer to be asked 100 questions than have to fix one mistake. However, if a mistake is made, we model taking responsibility. There is no person in our office who will point a finger, or lay the blame on someone else if they have made a mistake.

Following theses simples principles have made Rooney & Rooney, P.A. a pleasant place to work, which makes the work seem like much less of a chore. If your situation is not as pleasant, or you have questions about toxic work environments, then you can always call us.