Success is often based on the people you surround yourself with, according to billionaire Charlie Munger. During the annual investor meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, Munger and Warren Buffett gave business advice while also contemplating life lessons, such as when it may be time to distance yourself from someone. Munger stressed that having toxic people as a part of your life can prevent you from achieving success. “The great lesson of life is get them the hell out of your life – and do it fast,” he said. Buffett also had similar thoughts, pondering that kind people usually die with many friends.
Buffett and Munger’s strong relationship may be the perfect example of friendship. Buffett has said the key to his and Munger’s years-long friendship has been their ability to decide who they wished to surround themselves with.
A toxic workplace culture, not just a personal one, can hold employees back from success as well. A study conducted by the MIT Sloan School of Management found that company culture is the most important factor when predicting if an employee will leave a job. Poor pay and job insecurity come in second and third place, respectively. Unfortunately, there are still around 30 million people in the US workforce who have reported being a part of a toxic working environment.
Leaders and managers are largely responsible for creating a healthy working environment. By setting a positive tone and encouraging kind behavior, employees can be more likely to succeed and be happy in their workplace. If toxic behavior from a colleague cannot be corrected, then it’s important to remember Munger’s advice: “get them the hell out of your life – and do it fast.”
