Eight key factors that can undermine team repair

Team repair has been keeping Brave People Solutions busy.

We have a solid and proven process for working with teams and we are continually heartened by the results that we achieve and the recovery that challenged and conflicted teams make.

We see how important it is for teams who are struggling with change, tension and conflict to be supported to do better. In challenging circumstances, people are typically at their worst and may go below the line even though at their best they would be more positive and above the line.

The team repair process identifies those in the team that can and want to make changes from those who can’t or won’t make changes. The ‘can and want to’ people within the team are those that are willing or able to self-reflect, make changes, repair tensions and conflict, take action to stay above the line and support the team to build connection. The ‘can’t and won’t do’ are those that stay committed to their fixed and destructive attitudes and behaviours or lack the self-awareness regarding their contribution to the damaging interactions. In doing so, they fragment connection and undermine repair.

These are the eight factors that can undermine team repair.

The duration of continued destructive behaviours. The longer the time, the more complex and intensified the dynamics and the tension ricochet effect of poor behaviours, blame and hurt tend to be.
The extent to which there are ‘in groups’ and ‘out groups’ and how many of the ‘in group’ are the ‘can’t and won’t do’ people.
The extent of the power, influence and number of the can’t and won’t do people compared to the can and want to people.
The extent to which the can and want to people feel intimidated or scared by the can’t and won’t do people.
The power and capability of leadership to demonstrate consequences for the can’t and won’t do people.
The level of insight and skill of the leadership team in circumstances that challenge even the most adept.
The extent to which the ‘can and want to’ people see leadership standing up to the can’t and won’t do people and demonstrating appropriate consequences for their below the line behaviours.
The extent to which leadership is supported in their actions to address below the line behaviours by other stakeholders, for example HR and Executive staff.

Once our team repair process is finalised, it is then that the next stage must occur. This requires further relevant leadership action in relation to those who can’t and won’t do, particularly in relation to those engaging in below the line behaviours.

At Brave People Solutions, we know these circumstances require skilled, capable and adept leaders to manage in what are very challenging circumstances. So, we provide significant leadership support and development, most often through coaching for leaders.