What Poisons a Team faster than Anything else
I’ve been reminded recently of the constant tension on a team. And…. the Tension is Good. We talked about this and leaned into this phrase at our Catalyst event earlier this fall in Atlanta. The right kind of tension is important for teams, as well as for individuals. It stretches and shapes and allows for growth.
But there are other things that can creep into a team and poison it quickly. Things that sneak up fast and before you know it, start to define the team and take everyone off course. In the wrong direction. Headed the wrong way.
Here are a few of the poisons to make sure and avoid:
1. Arrogance- Pride comes before the fall, and for teams, the same holds true. Jim Collins talks about this at length in his book How the Mighty Fall. Humble confidence is the ticket.
2. No communication- this one is the most common poison for all teams to have some form of. The remedy? Overcommunicate. Be intentional and make sure folks are in the know. For team leaders, this one is tough. I struggle at this.
3. Me first, vs. We first- see this alot on high profile sports teams. Or with celebrities. As they say, there’s no “I” in team. A WE first mentality starts at the top with the leader who has to set the tone in word AND deed. If you are hearing “it’s not my job,” then it’s time for a gut check.
4. Jealousy and Cynicism- many times these go hand in hand and one follows the other. The remedy? Confronting it head on. Don’t allow jealousy or cynicism or cliques to form. Stomp it out immediately.
What else would you say poisons teams in your experience?
1. A leader who seeks cooperation rather that collaboration.
2. Assumptions that we make when communication is difficult.
[...] Brad Lomenick wrote a great piece on what poisons a team faster than anything else. [...]
One poison is the inability to deal with conflict or disagreements constructively. It causes what might be a minor problem or simply a misunderstanding to go underground & fester into a major issue that will require more time & pain to resolve than it should have. Conflict, disagreements, & misunderstandings are inevitable in a ministry or organization, yet so few of us handle it well. If we don’t face up to it & learn how to deal with it properly, we will cripple our organizations movement & poison our relationships within the team.
[...] Lomenick, director of Catalyst and leadership enthusiast, recently posted a helpful article on his blog about things that can poison any team or organization. It made me look long and hard [...]
Communication can only be effective if people think with their logic and not their emotion. We have emotional responses no matter what, effective communication can only take place in an atmosphere dominated by logic.
Another poison can be lack of clarity, which is a close cousin of the communication point you raised. This is probably my biggest blind spot and the one that needs my most focused attention.
A genuine question–how do we deal with these challenges? I appreciate identifying them, but am at a loss as to how to overcome on a team. I am the newbie, and it is very difficult to know how to respond constructively! Any help would be appreciated…
A leader is someone who doesn’t NEED the job.