Why do teams and their managers allow themselves to be held to ransom by an individual who dominates everything and everyone?
I call these individuals, the fox.
Why do managers fail to grasp the importance of reining in the fox, so that everyone in the team (working in the chook house) can relax and do their best work?
In my work with teams, I’ve discovered two things: the first, sometimes the fox is the muscle for the manager, they do what the manager can’t do for whatever reason that may be. In a way, the fox is a bit like the bouncer. For example, reports not getting done on time, someone being late, people not turning up to meetings – the manager gets the fox on the job, and they’ll get everyone moving.
On the surface this additional help can be beneficial. But what the manager is giving away is their personal power. The fox on the other hand gets a sense of gratification and so their personal power grows.
The second: the manager doesn’t have the assertiveness or the communication skills to wrangle the fox, unfortunately the fox knows this, so pretty much dominates the team as well. Now if this fox meets up with another fox from another team, then it’s game on!
Mind games ensue, managers get dominated in meetings, managers lose the desire to manage, team members start taking sick leave, productivity falls - then pretty soon you have a toxic environment.
It seems a no brainer that creating a positive and productive work environment is crucial for any team’s success. So why is dealing with the fox so important?
Because toxic team dynamics get in the way of collaboration, dampen morale, and impede overall performance. Mental health, days off, unhappy staff, people leaving, complaints to HR and so on all increase. Soon, staff hate coming to work.
In my experience, people are more likely to leave their job, not state why in their exit interview because they’re intimidated (they’ve tried to get help from their manager, but nothing has changed).
Talk is cheap, but actions speak volumes! However, with the right strategies and tools, it's possible to turn toxic teams into high-performing units that thrive on synergy and excellence. Managers need some very specific tools in their communication toolbox to deal with a fox.
There is nothing more exciting than getting a team in the same room and fostering a safe space so that they can get back on track. It’s not about chucking the fox under the bus; it’s about exploring the why.
Feel free to join me on a transformative journey if you want to change your team dynamics. We can explore the strategies and insights that can reshape your team.