And so does negativity in the workplace.

I didn’t get much sleep last night. Not looking for empathy, really. It simply explains the reason why I was little cranky today.

I’m actually pretty good at fighting off negativity unless I allow it to get to me. I've built a tolerance level that stays within the 80/20 rule and keep a stash of chocolate for the 20.

But my mood got me thinking about negative behavior and toxicity in the workplace. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, this one says it all. Perfectly illustrating how dangerous negative behavior can be and painful if those knives are heading in your direction.

Fortunately, most adults are emotionally intelligent enough to control and redirect a bad mood to maintain a professional, respectful demeanor toward peers, customers, friends and family. And then there are those that aren’t.

Behavioral Offenders Include

The unpredictable whose outbursts can wreak instant havoc, the manager that lashes out against an employee in front of the entire team, the customer that berates the unlucky recipient of their extreme complaint. The quiet manipulators, verbal abusers, tactless complainers and otherwise known viruses that can spread like wildfire unless properly contained. Unfortunately workplaces aren’t equipped with trained experts from the CDC that stand by in a HAZMAT to detoxify these situations.

Is face time at risk?

New and ever-evolving technologies including beloved social networks allow people to connect with others in ways once never thought possible. However, many will argue that nothing will ever replace face-to-face communication as a means of building long-term trust, respect and engagement. It's how these conversations take place today compared to just a few years ago that is changing.

The cause of this evolution has just as much to do with the changing dynamics of the workforce as it does the onset of advanced technologies. Companies that have incorporated flexible work arrangements where employees contribute virtually, may struggle with the loss of the emotive and rational connection among teams affecting culture and engagement.

To solve for this, progressive organizations have adopted the use of video and web conferencing allowing virtual contributors to share in visuals and dialogue maintaining the impact of the in person experience. More are beginning to embrace internal and external use of social networking or other community building tactics to maintain and/or increase the level of connectivity and collaboration between employees and leaders. All beneficial uses of technology that can effectively lead to greater collaborate in new and exciting ways. Increasing participation and idea sharing even among those who once sat quietly in the back of the room afraid to raise their hand. They’ve also helped to decrease costs associated with travel and other expenses not to mention being a way for organizations to become more environmentally responsible.

Two CEO's that are changing their game.

Call them epiphanies, minds opening up or just trends in leadership. Regardless of what's in the air, I for one am enjoying the "fresh air" that's beginning to seep from corner offices recently. And by fresh air, I mean, the waves of interviews and articles highlighting leaders that are moving from command and control to listening to their employees and customers.

While I don't think we can't say "gone are the days" of top-down organizational structures just yet; there's definitely a shift taking place; one that will inevitably take time but also brings promise of innovation during an era when change is needed most. While there are several CEO's making change happen, I decided to focus on two superstars today:

CEO #1: Cristóbal Conde of SunGard

This interview got my attention for many reasons but primarily due to Conde's use of social tools, understanding the importance of employee recognition and above all tapping into the hearts minds of his employees to gain valuable feedback.

In his New York Time interview, "Structure? The Flatter, the Better",  Mr. Conde touches on several ways he's changing his approach as a CEO from command and control to collaboration and teamwork and points out that:

"Collaboration is one of the most difficult challenges in management…top-down organizations got started because the bosses either knew more or they had access to more information. None of that applies now. Everybody has access to identical amounts of information."