A 2023 study by IBM Institute for Business Value should stop every business leader in their tracks:
Only 6% of leaders feel “very prepared” for the pace of change.
Let that land.
This isn't an opinion or a passing trend. It's data – hard, recent, and global. Which means 94% of executives across sectors, continents, and company sizes don’t believe they’re keeping up.
Why does this matter?
Because change is no longer linear or manageable. It's compounding. And most leadership teams are still using outdated maps for a world that’s constantly redrawing itself.
As shared by Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva – my Reinvention mentor and one of the foremost thinkers on organisational agility – this crisis of preparedness comes down to three brutal truths:
Change is compounding, not just accelerating.
We’re not dealing with one disruption at a time anymore. We’re navigating a stack: AI, inflation, supply chain upheaval, climate adaptation, and a radically different employee mindset.
Legacy strategy frameworks are too slow.
Annual planning cycles, predictive models, and static playbooks were designed for a calmer world. They’re no match for today’s speed or volatility.
Most leaders were never trained for this.
Business schools, executive retreats, and traditional leadership models didn’t equip us for perpetual reinvention. Yet this is exactly the world we now lead in.
If you're feeling off-balance, you're in good company. But waiting it out is not a strategy.
The new competitive advantage isn’t foresight – it’s fluidity. It’s the ability to adapt faster than the market moves.
That’s where the discipline of Reinvention comes in.
As a certified Reinvention Practitioner, I’ve seen first-hand what happens when leaders shift from control to capability – from prediction to readiness.
Reinvention isn’t fluffy. It’s a rigorous, trainable approach to leading in a volatile world. It equips individuals and teams to:
✅ Stay fluid without falling apart
✅ Build momentum through uncertainty
✅ Lead with clarity, not reactivity
And when integrated into team coaching, it becomes exponential – shifting entire departments or organisations from stuck to adaptive.
If you suspect your team is stuck in static thinking – if your strategic plans feel outdated the moment they’re finalised – it may be time to make Reinvention part of your leadership development.
Let’s have a conversation.
Whether it’s team-wide readiness, leadership reinvention, or a strategy reset, I’ll help you create the conditions for your team to adapt faster and smarter.
📩 Send me a message or book an exploratory call.
Because in a world of constant disruption, Reinvention isn’t a luxury. It’s leadership.
Richard Blake sat in his parked car outside the office, engine still running. The windshield wipers dragged slowly across the glass, fighting a losing battle against the icy winter rain.
He could’ve been inside ten minutes ago.
The board pack was printed. His shirt was crisp, his jacket open — dressed not just for the meeting, but for the expectations that came with it.
Everything looked fine on the surface.
And yet… something in him resisted. Not out of fear or fatigue, but something subtler — a knowing. As if stepping inside without pause would mean pretending he hadn’t noticed. That would be easier, maybe. But it wouldn’t be honest.
It wasn’t fear, exactly. Richard wasn’t prone to dramatic panic. He was 45, after all — not a kid, and not new to this game. He’d built ThriveWorks Solutions from a laptop in his spare bedroom to a company of nearly 40 people. Solid revenue. Loyal clients. An industry reputation that still meant something.
But lately, something had shifted.
The momentum was … sluggish.
The energy in the team — off.
And in the quiet moments between meetings, a question had started to take root:
“We’re doing fine… but for how long?”
It had started six months ago with a senior resignation. One of his earliest hires — someone who used to bring new ideas to breakfast meetings — handed in their notice with nothing but a polite smile and a vague mention of “needing something else.”
At first, Richard brushed it off.
People move on. It happens.
But then came the cultural survey — nothing drastic, but a noticeable drop in engagement. More people “coasting.” Fewer ideas. The metrics said fine. But the heartbeat? Off rhythm.
And the truth he didn’t want to admit — not even to his wife, Marisa — was that he wasn’t sure what to do next. The strategies that once worked no longer felt sharp. The meetings were happening, but the traction was gone.
It wasn’t crisis.
That might’ve been easier to solve.
This was something worse: quiet stagnation.
The previous afternoon, Richard had clicked on a PwC article a colleague had shared. The headline grabbed him immediately:
“Almost half (45%) of CEOs say they do not believe their current business will be viable in a decade if it continues on its current path.”
Up from 39% the year before.
He read it twice.
“If it continues on its current path…”
That was the part that stuck. Because ThriveWorks was very much on its current path. And it wasn’t a bad one. But it also wasn’t an evolving one.
And that’s what worried him.
Richard wasn’t short on ideas.
He’d spent hours thinking about strategy shifts, new hires, and better ways to structure the next offsite.
But if he was honest, he’d been tinkering around the edges.
Trying to fix disconnection with another playbook.
Trying to spark alignment without really confronting the drift.
And part of the reason?
He was in it too deep.
He wasn’t just leading the business — he was embedded in the habits, the rhythms, the very culture that now felt misaligned. And you can’t read the label from inside the jar.
It wasn’t about capability.
It was about perspective.
What he needed — and what he was finally open to — was an outside voice.
Not to take over.
Not to consult from a distance.
But to come alongside the team and help them see themselves clearly again.
Because what was breaking wasn’t the business model.
It was the team’s ability to talk honestly.
To align fully.
To reconnect to something deeper than KPIs.
Richard realised something critical:
He couldn’t drive that from his seat.
He was the founder, the MD, the decision-maker.
And in this season, that made him part of the stuckness — not the solution.
He needed someone who could:
Hold up a mirror without judgment
Create space for voices that had gone quiet
Help the team revisit purpose and patterns with fresh eyes
Rebuild trust and traction — not through pep talks, but through process
This wasn’t about crisis management.
It was about future-proofing a team that had lost its internal compass.
And Richard knew: if they didn’t do that work now, “fine” would soon become fragile.
What Richard was sensing — and what many leaders ignore until it’s too late — is that teams don’t break with a bang.
They fade.
They drift.
They stop asking bold questions.
They get busy, but not brave.
And while the numbers might stay green for a while, the rot sets in underneath — in the culture, in the conversations, in the clarity that once made them dangerous in the best way.
Team coaching isn’t about tuning up what’s already working.
It’s about reawakening and reinventing what’s been dulled by routine.
It’s about restoring shared language, mutual accountability, and deep ownership of the future.
And yes — it’s also about the leader being willing to say:
“I can’t steer this ship alone anymore — not if we want to go somewhere new.”
The rain was still falling when Richard finally stepped out of the car.
He walked slowly, hands in pockets, thoughts still circling.
His team wasn’t failing.
But they weren’t stretching either.
And he couldn’t shake the question:
“If things stay as they are… are we still relevant in five years?”
That question might be uncomfortable.
But it’s also a gift.
Because it pushes leaders out of autopilot and back into alignment.
And for Richard — and the nearly half of CEOs who quietly share his doubt — that’s where the real work begins.
Is your team still aligned for the future you’re building?
If Richard’s story feels uncomfortably familiar, it might be time to start a different kind of conversation.
Feel free to reply or reach out — I work with leadership teams who want to grow without losing what matters most.
Consistency & fairness
Policies, roles and standards ensure equitable treatment—crucial in large or regulated organisations. A meta-analysis of 80 quantitative studies (648 effect sizes) concluded that representative bureaucracy generally improves organisational performance, particularly when frontline staff mirror the communities they serve (Andrews et al., 2005).
Risk control and compliance
In sectors like finance, healthcare or manufacturing, robust procedures protect people and organisations, ensuring safety and compliance—reducing legal, ethical or reputational risk.
Scalability and clarity
As organisations grow, bureaucracy provides structure: delineated responsibilities, repeatable processes, clear escalation. Team coaching can leverage this as a platform for empowerment, not constraint.
Productivity drainage
Harvard Business Review and other sources estimate that excess bureaucracy in the US economy costs around $3 trillion annually—nearly 17% of GDP (Gary Hamel, HBR, 2016).
Time wasted in red tape
A study from Germany’s Ifo Institute reports that office workers spend over 20% of work hours on bureaucratic tasks, costing firms approximately €146 billion/year, or 3.5% of GDP (Ifo Institute, 2023).
Demotivation and burnout
A recent psychological study found that high perceived bureaucracy significantly reduces employee motivation, satisfaction, and performance (Rosenblatt et al., 2020).
Innovation stagnation
Overly rigid systems strangle creativity: teams become risk-averse, compliance-over-courage orientated, and slow to respond. Process replaces purpose when it goes unchallenged.
While these figures pre-date the pandemic, post-COVID research paints a mixed picture. Some agile organisations streamlined and empowered frontline teams, reducing red tape to survive. Others, particularly in traditional sectors, experienced what McKinsey called a "bureaucracy rebound"—a return to rigid systems once the urgency of crisis faded. The lesson? Bureaucracy is always evolving—and requires intentional leadership to keep it healthy.
In team coaching, real restoration starts small. Before sweeping reforms, we begin by mapping a team’s "bureau code"—the processes that guide (or hinder) their daily rhythm. Often, this reveals outdated habits or unnecessary obstacles that quietly dilute effectiveness.
Coaching then brings leadership into focus. We support senior leaders in balancing structure and agility—avoiding the traps of micromanagement or disengagement. With clarity and courage, leaders can prevent bureaucracy from spiralling into control.
At the frontline, trust matters most. When teams closest to the work have the freedom to act, energy and insight return. Team coaching empowers this discretion, helping people engage with systems wisely, not rigidly.
Rather than overhauls, we encourage "micro-liberations": quicker decisions, fewer hoops, clearer roles. Bit by bit, these shifts rebuild momentum.
And when compliance gives way to purpose—when people are trusted and reconnected to the ‘why’—bureaucracy becomes a frame, not a cage.
At its best, bureaucracy reflects a deeper yearning in human systems: the desire for order that protects dignity, not power that controls. Many traditions remind us that structure, when rooted in compassion and justice, exists to serve people—not the other way around. This same spirit underpins great team coaching—restoring alignment between structure and soul, systems and stewardship.
Bureaucracy isn’t inherently broken. At its best, it provides the scaffolding that allows people to work with clarity, consistency and safety. But left unchecked, it can swell into something that stifles rather than supports—where rules replace reasoning and process overshadows purpose.
Team coaching meets this moment by helping organisations realign systems with soul. It reminds leaders that structure must always serve something greater: the people and purpose it was built to protect.
If your team feels stuck in process or paralysed by policy, it may not be a motivation problem—it may be a signal that bureaucracy has outgrown its role. The invitation is not to tear it down, but to restore it.
In your context, is bureaucracy currently
🟢 Supportive of your ability to lead and deliver, or
🔴 Detracting from agility and energy?
Share your experience or vote below—let’s build collective wisdom.
Has bureaucracy in your organisation become a foundation or a barrier to leadership and performance?
👉 After reading, ask yourself:
Does our bureaucracy support or sap team energy?
Are we using it to protect or to hide weak leadership?
Let me know if you'd like a full session plan for senior teams to map, de-risk and re-enable bureaucracy—reinforcing Strong Minds, Strong Teams.
🔑 “I used to think our team was peaceful, but now I realise we were just avoiding the hard conversations.”
Fear of conflict within teams manifests as a culture of avoidance. Teams reluctant to engage in tough conversations fail to address critical challenges, leading to subpar decisions and missed opportunities. Patrick Lencioni, in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, emphasises that fear of conflict arises from a lack of trust. Without trust, team members avoid vulnerability, which is essential for candid dialogue and innovation.
👉 Signs Your Team Might Be Avoiding Conflict:
• Reluctance to engage in debates.
• Avoidance of controversial topics.
• Superficial agreement that feels “too easy.”
• Lack of accountability or challenge.
🤔 Ask yourself: "Is my team avoiding discomfort at the expense of growth?"
Teams that fear conflict often appear harmonious but are silently sabotaging themselves. Meetings become superficial, team members disengage, and the organisation's goals suffer.
💡 Here’s How Leaders Can Break the Cycle:
1 Build Trust: Create a space where team members feel safe to disagree. (The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson is a great resource!)
2 Model Healthy Conflict: Show how to challenge ideas respectfully and focus on shared goals.
3 Encourage Debate: Ask questions like:
“What are we missing?”
“Does anyone see it differently?”
“What’s the risk of this approach?”
4 Call in a Team Coach: Coaches bring fresh perspectives, mediate tough conversations, and guide teams to overcome avoidance.
🏆 The Gains of Healthy Conflict
✔ Better decisions through diverse perspectives.
✔ Increased innovation as ideas are refined.
✔ Stronger cohesion as differences are navigated respectfully.
Lencioni puts it succinctly: “Conflict is not a problem. It’s the solution.”
If you see elements of this struggle in your team, it’s probably time to lead the change. By fostering a culture of trust, encouraging debate and modelling healthy conflict, you can unlock your team’s full potential. Sometimes, the most effective first step is reaching out for support. Let’s start a conversation about how to restore collaboration and performance in your team.
Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments—your story could inspire others
.
📢 "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion it has taken place." – George Bernard Shaw
I often hear leaders lament how their teams don’t listen, fail to act as expected, or struggle to stay aligned. George Bernard Shaw’s words couldn’t ring more true - especially when it comes to delegation.
Delegation isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s about ensuring alignment, clarity and execution.
❌ When delegation goes wrong:
👉 Leaders may provide vague instructions, skip essential context, or fail to follow up.
👉 Teams might misunderstand, lack the necessary skills, or hesitate to seek clarity.
✅ How to improve:
✨ Leaders: Be crystal clear, provide context, and equip your team with the tools they need to succeed.
✨ Teams: Ask questions, align on goals, and foster collaboration.
In the past, face-to-face communication allowed non-verbal cues—tone, body language, and inflection - to bridge gaps in understanding. Today, much of our communication has shifted to emails and messaging platforms, where those subtle signals are lost.
As intentional leaders, we must acknowledge this gap and actively work to fill it with better communication practices, thoughtful follow-ups, and deliberate efforts to ensure alignment.
Delegation without communication isn’t just ineffective—it’s frustrating. Let’s rebuild the bridges between intention and execution and turn tasks into triumphs. 💪
-- Team Restoration Catalyst --
High-performing teams need more than talent, resources, & strategy. What separates truly effective teams is a secret ingredient - shared purpose - the unifying force aligning individuals beyond annual targets. Yet, many teams overlook the power of purpose, mistakenly focusing on business goals, leading to short-term gains but long-term disengagement.
Purpose vs Business Goals: Understanding the Difference
📊 A business goal, such as increasing revenue or launching a new product, is a measurable target within a timeframe. While essential, goals are transactional, focusing on output. Purpose, on the other hand, is transformational. It defines the deeper 'WHY' behind the work, creating engagement & long-term motivation.
When teams focus solely on business goals, motivation fluctuates. When united by purpose, they sustain engagement, collaboration, & resilience - even through setbacks.
The Impact of Shared Purpose on Team Performance
1️⃣ Greater Commitment – Purpose-driven teams show higher engagement & effort.
2️⃣ Stronger Collaboration – A common purpose eliminates silos, fostering teamwork.
3️⃣ Increased Resilience – Purpose-driven teams adapt to challenges effectively.
4️⃣ Enhanced Innovation – Meaningful work fuels creativity & problem-solving.
5️⃣ Improved Retention – Employees aligned with a mission are more likely to stay.
Rowing: A Lesson in Purpose vs. Goals
Having played many team sports, I only truly understood the difference between goals & purpose when watching my son row. In rowing, the goal is to win, but success depends on something deeper - shared purpose. 🚣♂️ Every rower must synchronise perfectly; even the slightest misalignment can slow the boat down. This mirrors the workplace: goals set the destination, but purpose ensures the team reaches it effectively. When aligned in purpose, teams move as one, cutting through resistance & achieving extraordinary results. Without it, progress is sluggish, & effort is wasted.
The Role of Independent Expert Guidance in Strengthening Shared Purpose
Some teams struggle to uncover & harness shared purpose. Independent expert advice provides an objective perspective to address alignment gaps:
🎯 Clarifying Purpose – Helping articulate a shared, actionable mission. ⚙️ Aligning Processes – Ensuring workflows & decisions reinforce purpose. 💡 Leveraging Technology – Integrating tools that enhance communication. 🌍 Facilitating Culture Change – Embedding purpose into daily work.
Leading with Purpose: The Next Step
If your team feels disconnected, the issue may not be performance - it may be purpose misalignment. Investing in expert guidance to realign culture, processes, & technology around a clear & compelling purpose is key for long-term success.
🔥 Ready to tap into your team’s secret advantage? Align them with purpose, & performance will follow.
#Leadership #Teamwork #SharedPurpose #BusinessSuccess #HighPerformance
In rowing, success isn’t just about stamina or strength - it’s about clarity, respect, and
alignment. No role is greater or lesser; without each person contributing effectively, the boat doesn’t move forward. Synchronisation and mutual respect ensure energy isn’t wasted, and momentum is maintained.
The same applies to business teams. Without clear roles and alignment, execution suffers. But alignment isn’t just about coordination - it’s also about being connected to a shared purpose.
Every Seat in the Boat Matters
A high-performing rowing crew has distinct roles, each essential to success. Without one, the boat doesn’t function optimally:
🗣️ The Coxswain (Strategic Leader) – Guides, sets the pace, and keeps the team focused.
⏳ The Stroke Seat (Execution Driver) – Ensures rhythm, consistency, and efficiency.
💪 The Middle Crew (Core Engine) – Sustains effort and drives momentum.
🎯 The Bow Pair (Stabilizers & Finishers) – Provides balance and precision in execution.
The Business Translation
Your team works the same way - each role is crucial, and success depends on collaboration:
🔹 The Leader (Coxswain) provides direction and strategic alignment.
🔹 The Key Executor (Stroke Seat) drives consistency and execution.
🔹 The Backbone Team (Middle Crew) delivers the bulk of the work with discipline.
🔹 The Precision Experts (Bow Pair) ensure quality and refine final outputs.
When one role falters, the whole team is impacted. Just as in rowing, no single person carries the team alone - every role must be respected and valued. Misalignment disrupts execution, slows progress, and wastes effort. When teams row with shared purpose, they move efficiently towards meaningful goals.
The Role of Team Coaching in Achieving Alignment & Purpose
A high-performing rowing crew doesn’t just figure it out as they go - they have a coach ensuring every role is optimised and aligned with the goal.
🏆 A skilled team coach helps teams:
✔️ Define roles and their connection to the overall purpose.
✔️ Provide real-time feedback to maintain momentum.
✔️ Build trust and psychological safety for collaboration.
✔️ Align execution with a shared purpose for long-term success.
Is Your Team Rowing in Sync?
Execution is optimised when teams understand their roles, work in alignment, and row with purpose.
⏳ Does your team know their roles? Are they working in sync, or is effort being wasted?
If this resonates, reach out for a conversation or share this with a leader who needs to hear it.
#Leadership #Teamwork #SharedPurpose #Execution #HighPerformance
📜 They have the credentials.
💼 They have the experience.
🚲 They have the technical skills to deliver.
And yet, the team just isn’t performing.
If you’re a CEO, business owner, or HR lead, this story might feel familiar. The culture survey flags poor engagement. Exit interviews point to burnout and internal tension. Staff turnover is climbing, the ones who stay seem increasingly disengaged.
It’s a frustrating paradox: brilliant individuals, underwhelming results.
🎯 The problem isn’t talent. It’s alignment.
In high-pressure sectors like hospitality, technology, and services, it’s easy to assume that if you’ve hired the best people, the rest will take care of itself. But technical skill alone doesn't build trust. Credentials don’t ensure cohesion. And experience doesn’t automatically translate into collaboration.
What often lies beneath the surface of these underperforming teams is something more human — and more elusive.
Poor relational dynamics masked by polite professionalism
Lack of clarity – whether in roles, expectations, or priorities – that leads to quiet blame cycles
Leadership vacuums where no one wants to make the tough calls
Eroded trust that prevents healthy, constructive conflict and real-time feedback
These aren’t the kinds of issues that show up on a spreadsheet — but they’re costing the business dearly.
🧽 Culture is a lagging indicator
By the time your staff survey scores are down, the underlying damage is already well underway.
Teams rarely fall apart all at once. What you’re seeing now is often the result of slow, quiet disconnection – the kind that builds over months or years. A few misaligned expectations. A breakdown in communication. A series of high-stakes projects that exposed deeper fractures.
Without intervention, those cracks widen. Eventually, even your most capable people begin to disengage or leave.
🧠 What healthy teams do differently
High-performing teams aren’t just built on expertise – they’re built on clarity, accountability, trust, and grounded leadership.
They know how to:
Disagree well, without fear of consequence
Align around shared goals, not just individual KPIs
Hold each other to account while preserving psychological safety
Adapt in the face of change, because their foundation is strong
These are people skills, yes. But they are also performance skills. Because when the human side of the team is strong, results follow.
🔄 This isn’t a leadership failure. It’s a leadership opportunity.
It’s easy to take poor culture scores or mounting turnover personally — especially if you’ve invested heavily in hiring the right people. But this isn’t about failure. It’s about recognising that even the best teams need recalibration.
And the good news? It’s fixable.
But it won’t fix itself.
💬 Is your team showing signs of misalignment, disconnection, or rising tension?
📩 If this resonates, let’s have a no-pressure conversation. I work with CEOs, business owners and HR leaders to restore alignment, rebuild trust, and get high-performing teams back on track.
Or if someone in your network needs to hear this, 🤝 feel free to share it with them. These conversations aren’t taboo — they’re necessary.
📷 StockCake
When Uber launched in South Africa, it was seen as a game-changer—bringing innovation, convenience, and new economic opportunity. Over time, however, the narrative shifted. Headlines have highlighted system abuse, driver dissatisfaction, and eroding customer trust. Though not formal employees, Uber’s drivers are on the front line—bearing the brunt of customer expectations and operational strain. Their experiences remain a vital lens through which to understand the broader system dynamics.
This article offers a moment to pause and reflect: what can teams take away from this evolving story?
We see this not just as a business case, but as a case study in the importance of cohesive teams under pressure. Real leadership isn't about avoiding trouble—it's about responding to it with integrity, alignment, and care for the whole team.
In Uber’s early days, riders raved about clean cars, courteous drivers, and seamless experiences. But over time, without revisiting and reinforcing the standards that made them successful, those experiences became inconsistent.
High-performing teams require ongoing recalibration. Without it, excellence slowly gives way to erosion.
Despite collectively earning R2.3 billion in 2023, many independent drivers reported working long hours for diminishing returns—highlighting the strain placed on gig workers navigating inconsistent demand and limited protections. Over time, fatigue and frustration began to show up in the quality of service and customer interactions.
When people are worn out, disconnected, or undervalued, performance always suffers—no matter how strong the brand or strategy.
Several drivers felt unheard, raising concerns that were reportedly met with silence or deflection. Customers, too, have reported frustration at unaddressed complaints and limited recourse when issues arose. When people feel dismissed—whether inside or outside the organisation—trust begins to erode, and disengagement follows.
Trust isn’t built through slogans or incentives—it’s earned through everyday, honest, two-way communication. Customers and contractors alike need to feel that their voices matter, and that their input leads to action.
Concerns were raised around system manipulation and pricing inconsistencies. When standards blur and consequences are unclear, people begin to test the edges.
Strong team cultures make expectations explicit. They draw the line clearly—because when everything is tolerated, eventually, everything is compromised.
Inconsistent service, poor safety experiences, and disjointed responses revealed an internal misalignment—one that was visible to customers long before it showed up in reports.
When the inside of the team is fractured, the outside experience will be too.
The Uber story is a modern lesson in what happens when fast growth outpaces intentional culture. For teams to thrive—whether global, local, or somewhere in between—they need three things:
Ongoing alignment to shared purpose
Open, responsive communication
A people-centred approach that recognises performance is sustained through belonging, boundaries, and behavioural integrity
We help teams pause, reflect, and realign—before cracks become collapse. It's not about blame. It's about building teams strong enough to weather real-world complexity.
🟢 If your team could benefit from a conversation like this, let’s talk.
🟢 If you know a leader who needs to read this, share it with them.
Let’s normalise conversations that prevent breakdown—and build teams that last.
References:
BusinessTech, “Uber collapse in South Africa,” 2025
The Citizen, “Safety concerns as Uber driver profiles allegedly sold online,” 2025
ITWeb, “Uber SA drivers, couriers earned R2.3bn in 2023,” 2024
📷 BusinessTech
In many teams, conflict is viewed as threatening and destructive — something to be avoided, managed, or silenced. After all, “good” teams get along, right?
Not quite.
In truth, the absence of conflict often signals something far more dangerous than disagreement: conformity.
When a team goes out of its way to avoid tension, it’s often a sign that honesty, innovation, and accountability are quietly being sacrificed. People nod in agreement, but they don’t truly buy in. Decisions are made, but the best ideas stay hidden. Progress appears smooth on the surface, but under the waterline, frustration and disengagement start to build.
What do the best teams do differently?
They engage in healthy conflict — robust, respectful conversations where diverse views are welcomed, hard truths are spoken, and assumptions are challenged. Not for the sake of drama, but for the sake of growth. These teams have the psychological safety to speak up and the relational maturity to stay united while disagreeing.
This requires emotional intelligence across the board. Each team member must be self-aware enough to manage their emotions, curious enough to understand others' — and willing to allow their own perspective to evolve in light of new insight.
Healthy conflict is never personal — it’s about addressing the issue, not attacking the person. As Patrick Lencioni emphasises in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, fear of conflict is one of the key barriers to team performance, and overcoming it is essential to build real trust and commitment.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that teams able to engage in task conflict — where differing ideas are debated respectfully — often outperform those that avoid it. The key distinction? They separate the issue from the individual, recognising that it’s not about ego or being right — it’s about the greater good and identifying the best solutions for the collective and the system.
They understand that cohesion doesn’t mean uniformity — it means alignment, forged through tension, not in spite of it. And they know that consensus isn’t always necessary for high performance. What matters is that every voice is heard and genuinely acknowledged, even when the final decision doesn’t reflect everyone’s individual view. This distinction between inclusion and consensus is critical — and often misunderstood.
👀 If you’re part of a team that rarely disagrees or struggles to decide, it’s worth asking:
Constant agreement isn’t always a virtue. Sometimes it’s a sign that important perspectives are being withheld.
💭 Want to help your team navigate conflict in a way that builds unity and performance?
I offer a team coaching process and solutions that help teams engage honestly, build trust, and execute in alignment and improve performance.
📩 DM me for an obligation-free chat.
🔁 Or share this post with a colleague who needs to hear it.
Let’s normalise the conversations teams have been conditioned to avoid.
