Adult maturity has little to do with chronological age. Under stress, it has more to do with coping skills. Face it, there are children with more effective coping skills than some grown-ups. So, what in the world happens when the stakes are high and teammates have divergent views. Some move into problem-solving mode while others throw tantrums. Some lean in while others withdraw. Either way, how we manage change under normal conditions has little predictive value when things are upside down.

There are two reasons behavior that undermines team and workplace culture gets tolerated. Most often, it’s because it has become normalized over time and woven into the fabric of day-to-day interactions. Sometimes, it’s because the actions that make the workplace cautious or unsafe are being executed by those in power where they can’t be challenged. It’s a form of bullying. Usually, these two sources of toxicity join so what is tolerated gets eventually sanctioned. It becomes okay to treat others poorly when it cascades down from above.

The period that follows upheaval is usually a time to regroup. Depending on the nature of the change, teams either recalibrate goals or focus their resources on healing. Which way the energy gets directed usually depends on whether the change was expected or unexpected – and whether the response was proactive or reactive.

Generational succession planning has left Baby Boomers with a conundrum. As the 60-somethings exit their leadership positions, they must decide how much guidance to provide the 40-somethings. These whippersnappers will likely own decision authority for the next two decades. Imagine the consequences in a family business where the heir doesn’t need to be qualified to get the job. Gulp.

The aroma is clear, but the source is a mystery. The frantic search begins the moment you smell something burning. Until the smoldering whatever is located, disaster looms. Imagine treating workplace culture with the same urgency. Some percentage, albeit small, of employees are actively disengaged. Often there is a lead toxin with a few lemmings doing that person’s dirty work. Everyone can smell the fire, but the odor has lingered so long that it has become normalized. What to do?

With over 300 posts since 2010, the Team Clock Institute ends 2022 with a curated “Greatest Hits” collection. Below are the most circulated blogs by category. Feel free to browse our archives at https://teamclock.com/articles/ for the articles that resonate with your team.

The end is the beginning. 12:00am lasts less than a second, as today becomes tomorrow and last year becomes this year. We’ll take stock in the accomplishments of the past and make promises for the future. The clock keeps turning.

After nearly five decades of ‘Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing’ theory, it’s time to throw out the recipe. Of course, the sequence makes sense. Your team comes together (you ‘form’). You experience some conflict (you ‘storm’). You set some ground rules (you ‘norm’). Amazing things happen (you ‘perform’). Because your team is populated by well-adjusted humans, everything goes as planned. Or it doesn’t.

Many workplaces struggle with the classic high performer who doesn’t play nice in the sandbox. His regularly committed sins are forgiven because his production exceeds his peers. While the leadership team is counting the money he brings in, he’s busy eroding the spirit of the workplace culture. It often starts with coworkers feeling sick to their stomachs after interactions with him and almost always ends with a recruitment/retention problem once word gets out that the team is broken.

Imagine you’ve been given a blank slate. You get to pick your teammates and choose your mission. You can choose how fast or slow to move and how cautious or risky to act. You have unlimited funds and a vast pool of talent. You get to start from zero. What’s your first move?

Eventually, everyone in your inner circle will say or do something that annoys you. Some will repeat these words and behaviors often enough to make you wonder why they’re still in your circle. Because a rich community requires diversity to survive, we don’t usually take the drastic route of cutting people out. In most cases, we’re left with the option to either tolerate or appreciate. When tensions are high, we tend to opt for tolerance. But, when we step back and look at the bigger picture, appreciation unfolds. Relationships, teams, neighborhoods, and communities are built on these responses. Let’s consider three examples and the lessons they teach.

The cycle of the seasons is a valuable reminder that living things require fresh fuel, reliable nurturance, space to grow, and an occasional reset. Just as the falling leaves provide spring fertilizer to plants awakening from a winter’s dormancy, teams harness the energy of change to recalibrate goals and direction. Fortunately, nothing stays the same. A shift in the business landscape or the addition/subtraction of a teammate alters the course. Some of these changes come unexpectedly. Most, however, are predictable. The key is knowing where you’re at in the cycle, why you’re there and, therefore, what comes next.