When you have a team of people who offer different perspectives, it can be a strength that helps the team make better decisions and effectively solve problems. However, different perspectives also sometimes can create tension. How a leader responds can be crucial to a team’s effectiveness.
Harvard Business Review shares the following leader behaviors that can affect team dynamics.
- Certainty. You shut down your team’s opinions and helpful debate when you believe your perspective is the only correct one. Take a moment to seek information or perspectives you could be missing and ensure you understand your team before deciding the right course of action.
- Inconsistency. To gain trust and credibility, your actions must match the values you promote. When you are talking about what matters, be sure you model those values and demonstrate their importance. When there is a gap between what you are saying and what you are modeling, be sure to acknowledge it and correct it.
- Emotional reactivity. Team members can have different reactions and perspectives regarding the same event. Do not dismiss their reactions as irrational or excessive. Take time to discuss the issue, find out what led to the response and listen without judging them.
- Justification. When you are trying to justify your behavior, you are unable to step back and examine it. If you find yourself defending a choice or placing blame, consider how you could have handled the situation differently and focus on addressing it directly.
