Detox Your Culture

Shortlisted for The Business Book Awards 2025

The essential guide for organisations to understand how toxic cultures form, identify the warning signs, and take effective action to address and prevent them.

In recent years, the media has been rife with stories of toxic workplaces—from reports into public institutions such as the police and healthcare trusts, to allegations from former employees at the likes of Twitter and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Toxic culture can manifest in many forms: harassment, discrimination, lack of boundaries, a culture of fear, and a lack of support for employees.

However, toxic workplaces can also result in missed targets, poor strategic decisions, and a loss of trust from the public and shareholders; in short, they are detrimental to business, leaders, and anyone working in them.

In this book, workplace culture expert Colin D. Ellis lays out a series of simple yet effective methods for leaders seeking to understand how toxic cultures form, illustrated through a global range of case studies, including CBI, the London Fire Brigade, Uber, SpaceX, Sony Music, and Amnesty International. He guides readers through practical actions they can take to create cultural conditions for success—a work environment of belonging, inclusivity, flexibility, and value creation.

Designed to be universally applicable and addressing a diverse range of topics—from employee connection to establishing and integrating positive values—Detox Your Culture is essential reading for any leader or manager looking to ensure that their organisation’s reputation and results are never compromised by culture.