Managing Inappropriate Behaviour in High-Pressure Work Environments
In professional services firms such as consulting, finance, law, or corporate advisory, people pride themselves on being polished and composed. Yet in these settings, inappropriate interactions can quietly erode culture. Sharp comments in meetings, exclusionary behaviour, or passive-aggressive emails can become normalized.
As a leader, ignoring this kind of behaviour is costly. It undermines psychological safety, drives away talent, and silently breeds resentment. The irony is that these workplaces often avoid confrontation in the name of politeness, when what’s truly needed is courageous, compassionate leadership.
Leaders must set the tone for what “professional” really means. It’s not about hierarchy or ego; it’s about how people treat one another when the pressure is on.
Strategies for leaders include:
Address inappropriate behaviour swiftly and privately. Letting issues fester reinforces them.
Offer coaching instead of criticism; focus on the impact of behaviour rather than the person.
Establish behavioural expectations during onboarding and reinforce them in performance conversations.
Encourage open dialogue through Respectful Workplace or Cultural Sensitivity training so that team members feel empowered to speak up.
Leadership in professional services means balancing excellence with empathy. You can expect high standards while still fostering psychological safety. In fact, when respect and accountability coexist, performance improves, not despite it, but because of it.
The leaders who will define the next generation of professional services firms are not the loudest voices in the room. They are the ones who make the room safer for every voice to be heard.
The Sensitivity Training Canada Team