Five Wounds That Hold Teams Back, And How To Begin Healing Them
One silver lining of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the surge in creative ways that organizations found to survive and succeed under dire circumstances. But there’s been a cost: quiet quitting, toxic cultures, burnout, retention issues and frayed nerves. These issues are the visible manifestations of underlying wounds every team suffers from that have always been present but have shown up even more profoundly under stress.
In my previous Forbes articles, I talked about planning for a return to in-person work, why some people might be angry about going back and how divergent life can be without the glue of the office. While those focused on navigating the opportunities and challenges of coming back together after a pandemic, this article takes a deep dive into the five wounds I see most often in my work with teams across a range of industries, both public and private.
1. Taking Things Personally: Research shows that only 50% of conflicts at work are about the work itself. The other half are interpersonal, and 100% of those are unproductive. Yet the number-one wound that members of teams experience is the deeply personal experience of feeling disrespected, disregarded and being attacked. Many find it difficult to address work issues without the conversation devolving into personally wounding conflict. And taking things personally is contagious: Once work issues are either presented from a personal lens or received as personal, everyone gets hooked, and the discussion is no longer about work.
2. Fixed-State Thinking: When you hear team members say: “This is how we do things here” or “We know exactly how to solve that problem,” that’s the wound of fixed-state thinking in action. Fixed-state thinking is the belief that there is a set way of doing things, or that it is possible to achieve a final state of doneness. Tradition can be a wonderful part of team culture, but it’s not a great competitive strategy. And while it might be comforting to believe that it’s possible to permanently solve a problem, the truth is that problem-solving is a journey that never really ends. Ultimately, fixed-state thinking inhibits diversity of thought, innovation and competitive advantage.
3. Scapegoating: Many of us can think of someone at work who is a “bad apple” or “toxic.” Their behavior is infuriating, and we feel justified in seeing them as detrimental to the team. “If only so-and-so were gone, we’d be a great team!” And the truth is, that person’s behavior is detrimental, so it is very easy to blame them for the team’s problems. But instead, try to see their “bad behavior” as a gift: It’s a conduit to what is really broken on the team. Instead of vilifying, let’s give the “toxic” person some grace.
4. Abdication: The wound of abdication includes two parts: deflection and powerlessness. Deflection is the abdication of ownership of problems: the belief that it’s okay to kick complaints up the management chain without attempting to solve them. Powerlessness is the abdication of one’s power, based on a belief that they have no impact or influence on their team. Feelings of powerlessness might lead to avoidance of healthy conflict, sharing constructive feedback or a sense of ownership on the team. After all, if their voice doesn’t matter, why bother engaging in the uncomfortable stuff? Abdication leads to a sense of isolation, which results in a cycle of underperformance.
5. Fracturing: Fracturing is the split into factions that occurs when there is a power vacuum in team leadership. Whether due to a revolving door of leadership or a leader who lacks authority, fractured staff become warring factions vying for control. While the sparring between fractured groups may seem to be the most obvious drag on the team, the greatest cost of fracturing is the erosion of customer-driven purpose and team performance.
How To Begin Healing The Team
The five wounds described above wreak havoc on team and individual performance, employee retention and innovation, and sometimes imperil the organization’s very survival. These are some ways to begin healing:
• Healing The Wound Of Taking Things Personally: The first step is Notice: Are you feeling open or defensive about what your colleague is saying? If defensive, then you’re taking it personally. The second step is Name: If you’re feeling defensive, others likely are, too, so name it: “I think we’re veering into the personal here.” Naming creates the awareness you need to break the cycle. The third step is Reframe: Begin depersonalizing by reframing the issue from a shared organizational perspective.
• Healing The Wound Of Fixed-State Thinking: Think of a case of fixed thinking and begin to explore as a team what makes you stuck there. Is it fear of change? Lack of skill or resources? Fear of irrelevance? Then, start to identify what assurances and supports the team would need to get unstuck, and envision the great new things you could achieve.
• Healing The Wound Of Scapegoating: Try reframing your colleague’s incredibly irritating behavior as a life-saving canary in the coal mine that can help you trace the root causes of challenges the team faces. Then, invite the whole team (including your “bad apple”) to actually address those causes instead of continuing to scapegoat.
• Healing The Wound Of Abdication: Abdication of power can be healed through greater awareness of team and individual strengths and the development of influencing skills. To address deflection, teams need to establish a structure for collaborative decision-making and problem-solving that obligates them to identify possible shared solutions before raising the issue to the next level.
• Healing The Wound Of Fracturing: There are two keys to healing fracturing: developing strong team leadership and having agreements among staff that establish respectful collaborative behaviors, which begin to unify splintered factions.
Related Blogs
-
Nov 29, 2024The Absence of Management:…
Management is key to the success of any organization. It involves planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources to reach organizational goals. But what happens when..
-
May 24, 2024Gen Z vs Millennials…
As a recruitment agency, we know that In today's workplaces, two main groups stand out: Generation Z and Millennials. Generation Z, born from the late..
-
May 17, 20245 Reasons HR is…
Human resources and recruitment are often not taken into serious consideration by different departments of the company. However, in this article, we would like to..
-
Sep 15, 2023Employee Well Being –…
Employee Well Being - HR Function which evolves to a full time dedicated role for Organizations who invest in their employees. HR Executives are giving..
-
Jun 9, 2023HR Is Better Together:…
A common question I get from clients is, “How many people should I involve in my hiring process?” My answer is usually, “As many as..
-
Mar 17, 2023Tips To Engage And…
The role of a Human Resources (HR) professional can vary depending on the organization and the specific job title. From identifying the most suitable of..
-
Feb 3, 2023How HR Professionals Can…
Some could easily argue that the human resources (HR) department is not a "revenue-generating" service. We don't create new products, interface with the traditional customer daily, or..
-
Dec 2, 2022Why Startup Companies Need…
Developing an active HR function in your business show that you value your employees and their business in your enterprise Growing startups and small and..
-
Nov 4, 2022Your Company’s Greatest Investment…
In this competitive market, companies are struggling to not only retain but also grow their talent pools as they expand. Attractive salaries are important, but..
-
Oct 27, 202210 Tips to Motivate…
Nothing is better for the bottom line than employees who are motivated to work for psychic benefits. Are you looking for ways to motivate your..
-
Oct 21, 202212 Practical Steps To…
In our world in general, but especially in the workplace, change is a continual presence. Whether it's driven by new technology, shifts in the market,..
-
Sep 30, 2022How To Successfully Promote…
Businesses used to have a relatively easy time finding talented employees to fill all their job vacancies. That changed in 2021 when 47.4 million workers voluntarily..
-
Sep 9, 2022How To Motivate People…
As a startup founder, you’d usually spend a large part of your time trying to get various people to do new things. On one side,..
-
Sep 2, 2022Don’t Give Up On…
“Why do we keep following the process if it doesn’t work?” You’ve probably heard something to the effect of this before or have even said..
-
Jul 15, 2022The Secret For Conducting…
A lot can be riding on the outcome of corporate brainstorming sessions. The list includes the need to come up with ideas for the creation..
-
Jun 24, 2022How to Know It’s…
HR activities at startups are often reactive in nature instead of proactive. That leaves gaps in the system. When starting their businesses, most entrepreneurs tend..
-
May 27, 2022When a Leader Is…
Not long ago, I received a call from an HR manager at a large corporation seeking an executive coach for one of their senior leaders...
-
Apr 15, 2022Make Your Meetings a…
I recently met with a group of managers to discuss ways to improve meetings. Our goal was to figure out how to create a space..
-
Apr 8, 2022Understanding Extroverted And Introverted…
Extroversion and introversion are used to define two ends of a personality spectrum. People can have a mix of introverted and extroverted traits, and we..
-
Feb 25, 2022Go Ahead, Reveal Your…
Talking about office disasters is key to better productivity and healthy competition. We all have our share of office-related horror stories. From the incorrect market..
-
Jan 21, 2022Can HR People Have…
A reader asks: I recently got a new job in HR at a small (under 100 people) company. This is my first job in the HR..
-
Nov 19, 2021What Super Productive People…
In 2018, I came across a meme that was going viral on the Internet. It read, “You have the same number of hours in the day..
-
Nov 12, 2021How to Create a…
Creating a learning culture in the workplace is all about fostering an environment that empoweres people to pursue knowledge. This is important for individual evolution,..
-
Nov 5, 20215 Generations in the…
When the world seems more divided than ever, uniting generations within the workplace can create an advantage for your business. Every night, I turn on..
-
Oct 22, 2021What To Do When…
Let’s face it: Failing sucks. But lately, I seem to be doing it more than usual. Okay, that’s dramatic. The truth is that I’m making..
-
Sep 3, 2021How To Lead Meetings…
It is crucial to tap into the different personality traits in your workplace to cultivate a supportive, inclusive atmosphere. There are extensive studies in personality..
-
Jun 4, 2021HR Transformation: Why Diversity,…
If there’s one thing the pandemic has brought into clear focus, it’s what each of us considers important—especially at work. Diversity, equity and inclusion, and..
-
May 21, 2021The Two Levels Of…
Faced with increasing challenges, there are new shifts and changes in today’s corporate world. High levels of competition, new technological advances, demographic adjustments, political turbulence,..
-
May 14, 2021How To Manage Anxiety…
If you’re anything like me, you’ve found yourself in a situation like this a few times over the last year. A friend invites you to..
-
Apr 9, 2021Five Things Your Boss…
Your boss may be extremely clear in spelling out your job expectations, setting goals, adding to your do-list and measuring your performance, but she may..
-
Apr 2, 2021How To Create An…
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several changes in the workplace and future work behavior. With several countries going into lockdowns, every sector was required to..
-
Feb 26, 2021Why Every Organization Today…
It’s time all organizations make what could be the most strategic decision in decades regarding organizational structure: Move the learning and talent development functions out..
-
Feb 12, 2021How to Collaborate in…
How to adopt the “us versus the problem” rather than a “you versus me” mind-set. Your first step in resolving a conflict should be to..
-
Feb 5, 2021The First Four Things…
Ever find that it’s noon and you haven’t accomplished anything on your to-do list? Get a productive jump-start on the day with these tasks. I..
-
Jan 22, 20216 Signs Your Teammates…
You can hire the best team in the world, but if they can't communicate well, you won't get very far. A business owner I know..
-
Dec 18, 2020How to Give Creativity…
Today’s organizations spend considerable time and energy selecting and recruiting creative talent. And rightly so. Creative employees help their organizations survive and remain relevant in..
-
Dec 11, 202014 Key Steps To…
As a member of a team, you have a responsibility to help your co-workers, just as you’d expect them to offer assistance when you need..
-
Nov 27, 2020Your Job Satisfaction May…
As adults, we spend the majority of our waking hours at work. That means our experience at work determines a great deal of our happiness,..
-
Oct 23, 2020Your Guide to your…
You walk through the revolving door of the lobby toward the elevator, soaking in your surroundings—there’s not a familiar face in the building. You straighten..
-
Aug 21, 2020New Study Shows Forming…
“Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone,” goes the song. For decades, singers have crooned about the power of smiling..
-
Jul 3, 2020Consistency Is the One…
Consistency Is the One Rule in Building a Great Company Culture Company culture is a topic that’s been often explored by entrepreneurs and business analysts, but..
-
Jun 19, 2020Your Words Have Impact,…
Your Words Have Impact, So Think Before You Speak Do you know of those people who fly off the handle without stopping to think about..
-
Jun 12, 2020Why Empathy Is One…
Why Empathy Is One of the Most Overlooked Skills in Business It was a sunny day in April. The air was crisp and the walk..
-
Jun 5, 2020How The COVID-19 Crisis…
How The COVID-19 Crisis Has Made HR One Of The Most Important Jobs Today n a matter of only a few months, the world as..
-
May 1, 2020Ideal Team Size at…
The Ideal Team Size At Work May Be Smaller Than You Think Close your eyes for a moment. Think back to all the teams you..
-
Feb 28, 2020Your Company Might Offer…
Your Company Might Offer High Salaries, But Does It Have Soul? It’s a well-established stereotype that large-scale companies are about as approachable as a concrete..
-
Feb 21, 2020Benefits of Stay Interviews
Retain More Employees With Stay Interviews Employees are quitting in droves, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, backed up by hard data from..
-
Jan 17, 2020Meeting Don’ts
8 Things You Should Not Do In Meetings Meetings are perhaps the most powerful personal branding tool there is—when you master them. They also make..
-
Nov 22, 2019Spend your day wisely
How To Spend Your Working Day Wisely And Actually Get Things Done Time doesn’t discriminate. The CEO of a Fortune 500 company with an overloaded..
-
Oct 25, 2019Super power at Work
What Is Your Super Power At Work? Do you know that every person who works for you has a super power? Well, they do. Superman..
-
Sep 27, 2019The Interview Question
The Interview Question You Need To Answer Right: ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ “I bombed the interview.” This was a message I got from a brand..
-
Sep 20, 2019Belonging At Work
Belonging At Work Is Essential—Here Are 4 Ways To Foster It In the complex study of human psychology, one finding is remarkably consistent: our well-being..
-
Aug 23, 2019Great First Impression
How To Make A Great First Impression At Your New Job You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it count...
-
Aug 16, 2019Purpose And Values
How To Connect With Your Company's Purpose And Values Some employees feel fully inspired by their company's mission, vision and values. But they don’t just mindlessly glug the Kool-Aid—they connect on a deep,..
-
Jul 5, 2019Overloaded And Overwhelmed?
Overloaded And Overwhelmed? Four Things You Can Control When Your Workload Is Out Of Control Our research indicates a terrifying 43% of knowledge workers do..
-
Jun 7, 2019Five Things Employees Want
The Five Things Employees Really Want I haven't managed to catch all the episodes of Undercover Boss this season, but there was one I knew..
-
May 31, 2019Thrive At Work
6 Steps To Unleash Your Inner Polymath And Thrive At Work In a previous article I explored some of the virtues of striving for a..
-
May 24, 2019Successful and Happy
The One Daily Action That Will Make You More Successful And Happier At Work In our fast-paced world where we have more to do than..
-
May 3, 2019Great Employees
What It Takes To Be A Great Employee: The Parable Of The Oranges Being a great employee pays off with better positions, higher pay, and..
-
Apr 25, 2019Your first Job
10 Essential Strategies To Succeed In Your First Job Congratulations, graduate! After the exhausting and stressful process of finishing school, searching for and landing your..
-
Apr 19, 2019Starting a New Job?
When You Start a New Job, Pay Attention to These 5 Aspects of Company Culture When you join an organization, you have a short window..
-
Apr 12, 2019How To Escape Procrastination
How To Escape The Procrastination Doom Loop When you imagine a highly productive person, you likely think of someone who focuses effortlessly on the job..
-
Apr 5, 2019Exceptional Employees
8 Clues That a Candidate Will be an Exceptional Employee Over the past 40 years, I have reviewed at least 30,000 resumes and LinkedIn profiles..
-
Mar 22, 2019Increase Employee Retention
4 Smart Ways to Increase Employee Retention Keeping your employees once you have them is a thorny problem in the staffing services industry. The difficulty..
-
Mar 15, 2019Things Happen!
Here's How To Recover From A Career Setback Whether you’ve botched an interview question, cancelled an important meeting last-minute or missed a typo in an..
-
Feb 15, 2019Workplace Diversity
In an 8-Minute Animated Film, Pixar Just Captured Why Companies Still Struggle With Workplace Diversity Yes, it's a movie about a pink ball of yarn--but..
-
Jan 25, 2019Effective Job Interview
How to conduct an effective job interview As the employment market improves and candidates have more options, hiring the right person for the job has..
-
Dec 14, 2018Stay Focused Through the…
14 Ways to Stay Focused at Work Through the Holidays We’re in the midst of the holiday season, and as you try to juggle parties,..
-
Dec 7, 2018Great Employees Leave Great…
Why Great Employees Leave “Great Cultures” “We have a great culture.” We have all heard it. We have all said it. But what does that..
-
Nov 30, 2018On-the-Job Training
Young Workers No Longer Get the On-the-Job Training They Need -- So They're Finding It Elsewhere With companies training people less, the most valuable path..
-
Nov 23, 2018Help Your New Hires…
3 Ways You Can Help Your New Hires to Succeed Filling a vacant position is expensive, and unless you do these three things, it's liable..
-
Nov 15, 2018A Successful Meeting
Three Ways To Prevent Someone From Stealing Your Spotlight In A Meeting We've all been there at one point or another. You're in a meeting,..
-
Nov 2, 2018When should managers overlook…
Why managers should overlook results in these situations By focusing on culture and people first, you can set your team up for success in the..
-
Oct 12, 2018Integrators VS Segmentors
Are your employees integrators or segmentors? An organization has both integrators and segmentors. Being a segmentor is a tough ask. If you choose to be..
-
Oct 5, 2018Help Your Team Members…
Help Your Team Members Succeed (Especially When They're Tempted to Leave) Help that valued employee being lured by another opportunity think through what they are..
-
Sep 28, 2018Avoid Toxic Team Members
Are You Hiring a 'Team' Player -- or Someone Just Looking out for No. 1? How can leaders make sure they're not unwittingly inviting a..
-
Sep 21, 2018What Motivates You to…
What Motivates You to Work? That paycheck will never be big enough if it's the only reason you're going to work. Each of us respond..
-
Aug 10, 2018Avoid Summer Slump
How To Improve Productivity For Yourself And Your Team This Summer July and August are historically bad months for productivity. It might be the warm..
-
Aug 3, 2018Emotional Intelligence at Workplace
How To Develop More Emotionally Intelligent Employees In the quest to develop leaders who will foster a culture of equity and inclusion in the workplace,..
-
Jul 20, 2018Rewarding Employees Wisely
5 Ways to Reward Employees When Raises Aren't an Option Many workers are doing double duty these days because employers either can’t afford to hire..
-
Jun 8, 2018Back On Track
How to get back on track when you’re having an unproductive day A rocky start shouldn’t dictate your entire workday. Do these things to reverse..
-
Jun 1, 2018Value of Office Communication
Why Office Communication is Highly Valued and Often Ignored A huge number of employees don't trust their bosses, and it's not hard to figure out..
-
May 25, 2018Impacts of High Turnover
The Negative Impacts of a High Turnover Rate High turnover rates can negatively affect a company and its employees in many ways. With the constant..
-
May 11, 2018Employee Onboarding Strategies
Seven New Onboarding Strategies You'll See This Year According to a study from Equifax, more than half of all employees who left their job in..
-
Apr 5, 2018Inclusion in the Workplace
Inclusion Doesn’t Mean Including Everything and Everyone Inclusiveness is not about thought policing. It’s also not about turning everyone into a liberal. It’s a normal..
-
Mar 23, 2018Employees Feel and Act…
7 Ways to Incent Employees to Feel and Act as Owners Building accountability into your business culture is a leadership process. It can't be driven..
-
Mar 16, 2018Don’t Shuffle People Into…
Don't Shuffle People Into the Wrong Job Just Because They're Already on the Payroll You grow your company by putting proven performers where you need..
-
Feb 26, 2018Minimise Workplace Negativity
Tips for Minimizing Workplace Negativity To Deal with Negativity in the Workplace, Use These 9 Tips Nothing affects employee morale more insidiously than persistent workplace..
-
Feb 9, 2018The future Workspace
Why a Coffee Shop Will Probably Be Your Workspace Within 10 Years As the gig economy grows, there are both social and scientific reasons why..
-
Jan 19, 2018First Hour, Day, Week,…
Do This In Your First Hour, Day, Week, And Month Of Your New Job Getting settled into your new job is the ultimate act of..
-
Dec 29, 2017Grateful Workplaces and Engaged…
Grateful Workplaces and Engaged Employees All leaders need to ask themselves why happy and engaged employees are worth their weight in gold. If you’re a..
-
Dec 15, 2017Employee stress during Christmas
Managing employee stress during the festive period More than half of employees feel stressed in the weeks leading up to Christmas, with most calling for..
-
Nov 17, 2017Employee Appraisals
Importance of Effective Employee Appraisals The performance appraisal may be one of the few times during the year where an employee and the reviewer, typically..
-
Nov 2, 2017The workplace is changing
From Cubicle To Coffee Shop - How The Workplace As We Know It Is Changing In the past few years we have seen a major..
-
Oct 13, 2017Working for small companies
Why You Should Consider Working For A Small Company Eighty-four percent of small-business employees are happy in their current job, according to the 2017 Aflac..
-
Oct 6, 2017HR’s key role in…
HR's key role in enlightened office design HR magazine and Landid's roundtable on the workspace of tomorrow explored how HR can positively influence facilities management..
-
Sep 22, 2017Workplaces still hamper productivity
Workplaces still hamper productivity Noise, lack of privacy and space are some of the factors causing the greatest dissatisfaction among office workers Nearly half of..
-
Aug 25, 2017Top 10 Benefits Of…
Top 10 Benefits Of A Workplace Wellness Program When Google opened up in the 90s it took a unique approach to employee satisfaction. In an..
-
May 2, 2017Employee Burnout
What causes burnout and how it can affect both the employees and the organisation How HR Can Help Prevent Employee Burnout An engaged workforce. It's..