"But ritual alone is not enough. Leaders also have to name the storm when it hits. That means calling out what is being felt, even if it is uncomfortable. If tension is building, say it. If something feels off, bring it forward. People do not need every answer, but they do need honesty, presence, and leadership that does not avoid the hard part."
"Each person filled out three prompts: What am I working on that you may not fully see or understand? What do I appreciate about how you work? What is the one thing that would help us work better together? After a brief facilitated start to break the ice, they took it from there. There was no pressure to agree, just space to be honest. That first conversation shifted everything."
Rituals and routines can help teams, but leaders must also call out rising tension and address uncomfortable feelings directly. Honesty, presence, and willing leadership matter more than having every answer. Structured, facilitated practices—such as having each person answer three prompts about unseen work, appreciations, and one change to improve collaboration—can surface stress and misread intentions. Naming the underlying story behind conflict often shifts team energy and reduces avoidance. Team members should acknowledge their likely triggers and describe concrete strategies to "un-hook" when annoyed. Small, honest conversations can transform clashing personalities into productive collaboration.
Read at Fast Company
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]