what dysfunctional behavior has a toxic office driven you to?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes:

Luckily no one in my office is biting anyone, but my formerly pretty-good job has devolved into a toxic mess.

I found myself pressing my ear against my wall to try and glean basic (not sensitive or confidential) information I needed to do my job by eavesdropping on a conversation next door. My officemate wasn’t ruffled; instead he grabbed a glass to better hear it, because that was a reasonable reaction to the situation we are in.

Obviously we need to get the hell out, and we’re working on it.

But in the meantime, I’d love to hear readers share their own behavior that made perfect sense in the context of their office dysfunction … and would be horrifying anywhere else. (And advice on keeping your “normal meter” calibrated among that level of chaos is extremely welcome.)

Readers, this is your moment! What dysfunctional behavior did a toxic office drive you to after warping your normal meter?

And some related advice:

does sharing strategies for dealing with toxic workplaces normalize bad jobs?

are you haunted by your last bad job?

how can I brace myself for my toxic new job?

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