Does Your Job Have a Toxic Work Environment? 6 Clues That You May Be the Culprit. We want to be liked and respected at our jobs. But in our efforts to do so, many of us unintentionally do things that have the opposite effect.

Many of us like to think we're highly self-aware, but most of us are not. Emotional intelligence is hailed as one of the hallmarks of a great leader. It's a hot topic in the workplace, and numerous research organizations have produced studies that say emotional intelligence comes down to a handful of factors — including self-awareness, emotional regulation and empathy.

But why do we think we are more aware than we are? It's because we don't get enough feedback on how we come across to others. This leaves us with blind spots when it comes to understanding how others view us. You might think you're a star employee and desirable peer, but you could make others more uncomfortable. As a mentor and leadership coach, I've identified six behaviors that you should address and fix if you want to maintain and grow a better workplace relationship with your peers.

More from the author: 6 Habits of Powerful People

1. You're a constant gossip

Not every workplace is perfect. It can feel good to commiserate with others about your woes. But if you constantly join sidebar conversations where you're complaining, whining or venting, it's probably time to check yourself.

People might not be as excited to blame and point fingers as you'd think. There's a chance you have a reputation for being negative and squashing new ideas before they get off the ground. People who regularly talk smack about their boss, peers or the company's direction aren't fun to be around.

Related: 6 Ways to Become a Better Listener

If you frequently gossip with your colleagues about how your boss stinks or how another department always drops the ball, others probably see you as the drama. Ask yourself how often you praise others and give credit away or make positive, affirmative statements about the company or your work. If you can't readily think of several, there's a good chance you annoy colleagues who are driven to find solutions and like their job and the environment.

2. You don't keep your commitments

If you are regularly late to meetings or behind on deliverables, you probably make others uncomfortable. Each time we don't follow through on something we said we'd do, we rob others of the ability to trust us. You're likely frustrating to work with if you can't follow through on the things you said you would. And when you've demonstrated that people can't depend on you, it's hard for others to feel comfortable collaborating with you. Learning to keep your promises will make your coworkers like you more and be more open to your ideas and thoughts.

3. You change what you stand for depending on the situation

It's common to stand straighter when our bosses are around or wear our best suit when seeing our biggest client. Most of us want our bosses, clients and vendors to have favorable opinions of us. But if you radically shift your attitudes, beliefs or behaviors around people you want to impress, you're likely viewed as superficial.

Related: How to Improve Your Relationships — Both Personally and Professionally

It's uncomfortable to be around someone who flip-flops depending on the situation. I've seen too many colleagues take an opposite position to what they said hours before just because of who walked into the room. If you play office politics to get ahead, others likely notice and view you as a self-interested person with ulterior motives.

4. You expect people to make time for you at the drop of a hat

As someone who leverages scheduling tools to plan my work far in advance, I've always found it odd when people show up at my door unannounced and say, "Got a minute?" And then act confused when I say I actually don't.

If you expect people to make time for you without warning — just because it's convenient for you — you likely come across as arrogant and self-serving. Highly self-aware people who respect the boundaries and others' time recognize that other people are busy too, and their most important priority might not be the same as yours. If you want to make others comfortable, show them respect by asking what their calendar looks like and where they can fit you in. And always try to preface what you want to talk to them about.

5. You don't involve people at the right times and in the right ways

We've probably all had that experience where our boss was copied on an email, and we didn't know why. If you often copy your boss, someone else's boss or others on emails who aren't involved in the topics (and don't need to be), ask yourself why.

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Often, this is a passive-aggressive attempt to hold others accountable, show how involved and busy we are, or cover our tails. This leaves everyone wondering about your true intentions. It can be equally uncomfortable when you don't involve people who should be involved. When you leave valuable people with useful skill sets off an initiative or committee invite, it can seem you're playing favorites or want to maintain careful control. This act doesn't build trust with others.

6. You're too friendly

Although it's not uncommon for employees to develop relationships outside of work, not everyone likes to. Many prefer to keep their professional and personal lives separate. If you regularly invite colleagues to happy hours and weekend activities or find and friend others on social media without their explicit permission, you might make others uncomfortable.

Not everyone wants to see your swimsuit/vacation photos or have you see theirs. Oversharing personal information can have the same effect; not everyone wants to hear the play-by-play about your weekend or how you had a disagreement with your spouse. In many workplaces, it's also a violation of HR policy to discuss religion or politics. There's a good reason for that; it's divisive and can make people uncomfortable. Before taking steps to make a professional relationship more personal, make sure that your advances are welcome. Otherwise, you'll create tremendous discomfort.

Although these six behaviors are common practice in many workplaces, they're not common sense. They're easy to do, but they're also easy to stop, especially with a little bit of focus. If you want others to feel comfortable around you, avoid these practices and work to create an environment where others do the same. To read more about similar topics, check out 6 Habits of Powerful People.