Think about all of the bad habits that unnoticed eat your company culture bit by bit.

What are they? Let’s see.

There’s gossip, territorialism, cynicism, defensiveness, hiding mistakes, resistance to change, fear of risk, passive-aggressive communication, avoiding feedback, withholding of information, false consensus, reluctance to change and more. Imagine how some of these habits can quickly escalate to conflict, lowering productivity, paralysing teams or the whole organisation.

So, when we look behind the curtain of a dysfunctional team what do we see there? Probably a lot but the root of it lies in a lack of trust.

More than at any time in my career I hear people say, “I am so busy”, or “I’m completely overwhelmed at work these days”. Being busy can of course be a good thing, it suggests your company has plenty of customers and business is thriving. But being constantly busy is not in itself a good sign of leadership, nor does it say anything positive about you and your company. I always ask: where is this ‘busyness’ taking you, and how is it helping you achieve your goals?

So stop for a moment and consider the reason for your hectic work life. Could it be a sign of disorganisation and an inability to prioritise your To-Do list? Or could it be a sign of something even worse; that you’re micromanaging?