Interpersonal Dynamics Management

Here's a pattern I see everywhere: organizations trying to solve people management problems by implementing a new rule or policy instead of attacking the underlying leadership gaps that cause the problems in the first place. For example: ◆ Managers don't support employee growth → Required learning goals in performance reviews instead of teaching managers how to have meaningful career conversations and creating a culture where senior leaders model genuine investment in people's development. ◆ Low employee engagement → Compulsory team-building activities instead of developing managers who create psychologically safe environments and ensuring that engaging leadership behaviors are recognized and rewarded at all levels. ◆ Inconsistent performance feedback → Mandatory quarterly reviews with standardized forms instead of coaching managers on ongoing performance conversations and building systems that reinforce regular, quality feedback as a core leadership expectation. ◆ Lack of recognition and appreciation → Formal recognition programs with points systems instead of cultivating managers' ability to give meaningful acknowledgment and making authentic appreciation a visible, valued leadership competency. ◆ High turnover → Exit interview policies and retention bonuses instead of developing managers who build strong relationships, addressing systemic issues that drive turnover, and ensuring that people-focused leadership is modeled from the top down. Policies aren't inherently bad—they can provide helpful structure and clarity. But policies alone are easier to implement than culture change. They're measurable, compliance-friendly, and give us the illusion of progress while often treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause: lack of interpersonal leadership skills. The most effective approach combines both: thoughtful policies that support and reinforce the leadership behaviors we want to see, paired with genuine investment in developing our people leaders. This means helping managers build authentic relationships with their teams while creating systems that recognize and reward those behaviors. It means senior leadership demonstrating what caring about employee growth actually looks like in practice, not just mandating it through policy. What makes this challenging is that this integrated approach is harder, takes longer, and can't be measured as easily as policy compliance alone. But when policies and behavioral change work together, that's when real transformation happens. Without the behavioral foundation, even the best policies become empty checkboxes that people work around rather than embrace. What leadership gaps have you seen organizations try to "fix" with policies instead of people development? #leadershipskills #culturechange #engagement

🌟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 🌟 Recently, we worked with a small IT company to design people strategies and performance frameworks. What started as a straightforward engagement turned into an insightful journey that revealed the importance of proper diagnosis in organizational challenges. During employee surveys, we noticed a recurring theme: While employees were happy and excited about their work, they felt micro-managed. At first glance, it seemed the leader’s management style was the issue. But here’s what we discovered after digging deeper: 👉 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜—he was forward-thinking and committed to the team’s success. 👉 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦? A lack of transparent workflows and management systems that left the leader relying on constant follow-ups and manual updates to stay informed. Our approach to solving this was straightforward but impactful: 🔹 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 were defined. 🔹 𝐃𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐑𝐌𝐒 were implemented to provide real-time visibility of tasks and progress. 🔹 𝐎𝐊𝐑𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 were established and tracked using automated systems like timesheets and task updates. The result? ✅ Reduced manual reporting and streamlined reviews. ✅ Empowered employees with clarity and autonomy. ✅ A leader who could focus on strategy rather than micromanagement. This case taught us an important lesson: Employee perceptions matter, but the root cause often lies deeper. Misdiagnosis can lead to misplaced solutions. By addressing systemic gaps, we transformed workflows, strengthened trust, and created a more harmonious workplace. 🔑 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲: The right tools and processes can bridge the gap between leadership and employees, unlocking true potential for growth and collaboration. What challenges have you faced in diagnosing workplace dynamics? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇 Business Enablers #PeopleStrategy #Leadership #WorkplaceDynamics #PerformanceManagement #HRMS #OKRs #TransparencyInWorkplace

I’d like to share some lessons I've learned from years of working with teams. When leaders think about team dynamics they should consider these three: task, social, and individual. Picture this: you're the captain of a ship called "Team Grand," and your crew is a motley assortment of personalities, skills, and quirks. Sound familiar? How do you turn your team from a pirate crew into a well-oiled machine? First up, Task Dynamics. This is the essence of your team's mission. You need clear goals, defined roles, and a way to communicate. I once worked with a tech company that was developing a new app feature. They were so excited. But here's the kicker – they had more communication tools than needed. The result? More confusion! So, what did we do? We streamlined those channels faster. Efficiency was restored! Next on is Social Dynamics. It's about building those bonds that turn your team from a group of random people into a team. It includes team purpose and identity, interaction, relationships, conflict resolution, and building trust. A company I worked with had a mission statement that was not inspiring. So, we made revisiting the mission statement a regular thing. And it worked! People started feeling like they were part of something bigger. But wait, there's more! This same company had a conflict resolution strategy that was basically "ignore it and hope it goes away." So, we dove into some conflict resolution learning, for the whole team! And things got better! Finally, we've got Personal Dynamics. This is where you zoom in on each team member. These include elements such as the personal traits, behaviors, and contributions of each team member. I once coached a cross-functional team that was not really operating in sync. The team comprised members who performed at different levels, initially hindering the achievement of their OKRs. Additionally, the team struggled with personal development, as many members felt their growth was stifled within the team context. High stress levels further impacted their productivity. So, we introduced personalized development plans. We also launched a stress management program and enabled more flexible work hours. These enabled individual growth, reduced stress, and enhanced the team's overall performance. So, fellow leaders, should you choose to accept it: Think about these three dynamics and weave them into your team's DNA. Understanding these categories helps in analyzing, improving, and transforming team dynamics for better performance, engagement, and commitment. #teamdynamics, #performance #accountability #groupcoaching #leadership ------------------------------------------------ I am an Executive Coach, an Organizational Development Consultant, and an HR Executive who helps leaders scale their impact and ensure high performance. Need help to take the leap? Get in touch! Follow me: for more. My Free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gn95hfyV ----------------------------------------------

Managing team dynamics is like balancing on a tightrope. You’ve got conflicting personalities, expectations, and communication styles. Each day feels like putting out fires, trying to get everyone aligned while managing the external pressure of deadlines. The villain? Miscommunication and competing interests. You want your team to perform at their best, but if you are… →Missing clear feedback  →Ignoring misunderstandings →Avoiding unresolved tensions →Letting office politics/biases create a divide You’re not just managing projects; you're navigating complex human emotions. It can sometimes feel like you need a psychology degree to be a leader these days. Here are a few actionable steps, based on science from Relationship Intelligence, to manage team dynamics better: 1. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 - 3𝗣𝘀 People tend to be motivated by a blend of these three things but ~70% of people are more motivated by one over the others ⚓Process - a desire to create order  ⚓Performance - a desire to get things done ⚓People - a desire to help develop and grow others No one “P” is more important as every team mission requires a blend of all of these to be sustainable. Ask: “What do you find the most rewarding in being part of a team - creating order out of chaos, achieving results or supporting and developing others?” 2. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 - 3𝗔𝘀 Conflict will happen. Understanding how people react when they are feeling opposition will be useful in supporting them. Accommodate - be wary when someone is too quick to acquiesce. They may be feeling conflict and simply trying to avoid a difficult conversation. Say: “I’d love to hear contrasting opinions on this topic - who can help think of one?” Analyze - don’t mistake quiet for disinterest. You might notice them trying really hard to find the most reasonable, logical solution. Say: “What information would be helpful to make this decision? How much time do you need?” Assert - don’t mistake passion for anger. They may show a lot of energy about taking action. Do: Be direct, brief and clear. State your intent to find a quick solution. Match their energy to understand the issue’s importance. 3. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝗕𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 Strengths, or behaviours, are often aligned with our motivations. If a team has a bias towards performance their strengths may be heavy towards ‘quick to act’. Individuals within teams might have natural friction areas - one person is very social and another very reserved. Proactively design how everyone can feel respected and valued without dismissing others. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀.    When team dynamics work, everything else follows. PS: What’s one thing you wish you could change about your team?