A little bit of toxin goes a long way when it comes to derailing teamwork.
Some examples of common teamwork toxins include:
Absenteeism
Aggressiveness
Backbiting
Binary thinking
Blame
Bullying
Conflict avoidance
Contempt
Defensiveness
Denial
Disorganization
Favoritism
Gossiping
Lack of communication
Making excuses
Narcissism
Passiveness
Pessimism
Politicking
Procrastination
Sandbagging
Shame
Short-termism
Stonewalling
Suspicion
Undercutting
When teams turn toxic, there are antidotes. Typically, the most powerful antidotes include a combination of some of the following:
Accountability
Acknowledgement
Assertiveness
Authenticity
Belonging
Caring
Clarity
Communication
Compassion
Connection
Courage
Curiosity
Embracing possibility
Equality
Empathy
Flexibility
Generosity
Humility
Inclusion
Integrity
Kindness
Leadership
Listening
Long-term thinking
Optimism
Organization
Patience
Perspective-taking
Process
Psychological safety
Respect
Responsibility
Shared purpose
Sincerity
Transparency
Trust
Team dysfunction leads to devastation. If you notice or suspect toxins, don’t hesitate to reach for antidotes.
