Yesterday, I wrote about the kinds of people you should avoid letting into your business — those who drain your energy, derail your goals, or take up space without contributing anything meaningful. But today, I want to go deeper.
Let’s talk about a particular species of horror worker.
Meet the Red Ant.
A red ant in a business isn’t just unhelpful — they’re corrosive. They’re the person inside your organization who is actively working against it. Whether it’s deliberate or driven by deep personal dysfunction, the result is the same: destruction from within.
Red ants operate quietly at first. They whisper. They frown during meetings. They question everything, but never to improve it. They smile to your face and poison the well behind your back. Sound familiar?
Let’s unpack who these people are, how they operate, and why you absolutely must deal with them.
What Is a Red Ant?
The term “red ant” comes from nature — those small but aggressive insects that bite hard and swarm silently, capable of damaging entire ecosystems. In business, a red ant is someone whose behavior or attitude eats away at the culture, cohesion, and effectiveness of your organization.
They corrode morale. They sabotage projects. They gossip, manipulate, and thrive on drama. And if left unchecked, they can cost you your best people — and potentially your business itself.
Red Ant Behavior: What to Look Out For
Here’s how to spot one in the wild:
• Toxic Negativity: Always complaining, always criticising, never offering solutions. They suck the air out of the room.
• Gossip and Rumors: Spreading false information or half-truths, creating confusion and mistrust.
• Undermining Leadership: Talking behind the boss’s back, quietly trying to discredit authority or even going over your head to higher management.
• Sabotage: Missing deadlines on purpose, withholding information, or making others look bad to elevate themselves.
• Resistance to Change: Rallying others to fight against progress or innovation because it threatens their comfort or control.
• Ethical Gray Zones: Cutting corners, hiding mistakes, or even bending rules for personal gain.
• Poor Team Spirit: Hoarding knowledge, pitting colleagues against each other, or simply refusing to collaborate.
• Chronic Victimhood: Nothing is ever their fault. They blame, deflect, and take no accountability.
The Damage They Do
Red ants may not always be loud, but their effect is loud and clear:
• They lower morale and create a heavy, unmotivated atmosphere.
• They erode trust — between colleagues, between leadership and staff.
• They waste time and resources with drama, conflict, and clean-up.
• They scare away talent — good people don’t stick around in toxic environments.
• They kill innovation because fear and negativity crush creativity.
• They damage reputations internally and externally. Their poison leaks out eventually.
In short: they rot the wood while smiling at the wallpaper.
How to Handle a Red Ant
Dealing with a red ant is never pleasant, but it’s necessary. Here’s how to do it:
1. Spot Them Early: Watch for patterns, not just isolated bad days.
2. Be Direct and Document: Don’t sugar-coat. Address behaviors with specific examples. Keep records.
3. Set Expectations: Be clear about what is acceptable — and what isn’t.
4. Offer Support (If It’s a Fixable Case): Sometimes people lash out because they feel unsupported. Offer help, but don’t tolerate abuse.
5. Use Formal Processes: If informal chats fail, move to performance management. Protect your business.
6. Act Decisively: Sometimes, you just have to let them go. It sends a clear message: this business has standards.
7. Protect Your Culture: Celebrate and reinforce good behavior. Don’t let red ants define your workplace.
8. Hire Better: Don’t just hire for skills — hire for attitude and cultural fit too.
Important Clarifications
Not every critic is a red ant. Constructive feedback is healthy — even if it’s blunt. The difference? Intent.
• A constructive critic wants the business to do better.
• A red ant wants to tear down or gain power, even if the business suffers.
Also, not every poor performer is a red ant. Some people just need training or a new role. Red ants are defined by active harm — not just a lack of skill.
Final Word: Welcome to the University of Screw You
These are the lessons you don’t learn in a textbook — only through experience. Every seasoned business owner eventually enrolls, like it or not, in what I call The University of Screw You. It’s where you earn your stripes, where you learn to spot danger early, and where you build the gut instinct to protect your vision.
Graduates of this “university” know better than to let red ants take root.
Because if you want your business to grow, you have to weed out what’s killing it from the inside.
