One bad apple: This is an age old expression and still holds true to this day.
The bad apples metaphor originated as a warning of the corrupting influence of one corrupt or sinful person on a group: that "one bad apple can spoil the barrel". Excerpt taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_apples#:~:text=The%20bad%20apples%20metaphor%20originated,apple%20can%20spoil%20the%20barrel%22.
This is something that definitely happens in the work place. I know of so many instances personally where 1 person, whether in a leadership position or not has created the atmosphere where many good employees leave.
It never ceases to amaze me as it is so easily seen to so many but the higher ups don’t notice it, and even when they lose many of their dedicated, value added team members, they still don’t recognize that it is due to that specific person.
This unfortunately happens in too many work places and many good people move on instead of having management deal with the one bad apple while letting the rest of the team flourish, perform and become more productive.
Questions to Ponder:
Are you losing good people?
Do you have a bad apple?
Should you consider letting that person go?