Part Three: Politics Power Plays and Conflict Viral Conflict and Toxic Cultures

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Sharon Feltham, Excellerate

 

There are times when it takes an enormous amount of moral courage to confront the politics and power plays within organisation, and the equivalent amount of stamina to deal with the fall out.  Even if you do have the constitution of an ox and the patience of Job few employees are in the position of influence, with the power and the resources, to tackle dysfunctional organizational behaviour - besides going solo is likely to be the equivalent of throwing yourself on the sword. Courageous maybe but it seldom changes anything.

 

This month we’re taking a look at how the process of triangulation can spread and transmit conflict through an organization, infecting the culture and causing all sorts of problems.

 

Through my coaching and work with teams, and from my own experience as an employee, I know just how difficult and demoralising it can be when you’re caught in a mass game of subterfuge and underground conflict. I’m not promising you the big answers here but I’d like to share a few strategies to help you deal more effectively with viral conflict and the culture it creates.

 

And If you haven’t read the previous articles in this series I recommend you do so, you’ll get more value from this one.

 

 

 

 

There has been a great deal of research into human behaviour in organisations and how the very act of organising people into one group creates conflict - and therefore the need to manage it. While reseach hasn’t clearly determined how conflict which originates in one part of the organisation surfaces in another when we look at the process of triangulation we can see more easily how and why conflict can spread like a virus.

 

Viral conflict occurs where the tension is too great for one triangle to contain. It relieves this tension by creating a series of "interlocking" triangular relationships, which involve more and more people, dragging in players from all parts of the organisation.

 

 

 

Triangulation creates an unhealthy passive aggressive culture undermining the values that organizations and teams promote - like trust, honesty and integrity. Productivity plummets as people become consumed in gossiping and “game playing”.

 

There’s healthy conflict which is vital for our growth, it acts as a catalyst for creativity and innovation, and then there’s stealthy conflict which is a symptom of triangualtion. This type of conflict is almost impossible to deal with effectively because of it’s underground nature.

 

Stealthy conflict is the Victim’s speciality. The skillful and maniupulative Victim can recruit a network of Rescuers shifting conflict from its original source to other parts of the organisation. Half truths and unsubstantiated facts flourish, fuelling rumor and gossip, all of which consume massive quantities of energy, time and attention.

 

In some cases Rescuers, acting on good intentions but incomplete information, take matters into their own hands. They intervene inappropriately and may even confront the persecutor directly.

 

Blindsided and with emotions running high Persecuters either retaliate aggressively or defend themselves vigorously - which only serves to substantiate the original rumours and accusations. They may even shift into the role of the Victim by recruiting their own team of Rescuers. Both sides wage covert sabotage in an attempt to get even and damage one another's credibility. And still the original problem remains unresolved.

 

Left unchecked the conflict spreads and divisions deepen as even more people become hooked into taking sides. Triangulation becomes the name of the survival game, the teams: Persecutors, Victims, and Rescuers. Relationships along with vision, mission and values become the casualties and consultants classify the culture as “toxic”

 

All this, because of the Victim’s and Persecutors inability to deal constructively with the tension and conflict between themselves. All this because Rescuers enabled Victims in the game playing and in doing so, Rescuers lose sight of the one really helpful role they can play - that of faciltator/mediator

 

Now What?

 

Where viral conflict runs rampant and triangulation is a deeply embedded dynamic in your organization recognize that while you can’t change the bigger game you can still play your own game:

Finally, if the situation becomes unbearable, where you feel as if you’re walking a daily tightrope unable to speak openly or act authentically, where your time and talent is consumed by game playing and fending off the efforts of different factions - leave. Chart a new course. Find a better and bigger game.

 

 

In the next newsletter (Part 4) we’ll take a closer look at how triangulation plays out in teams. I’ll share my best insights with you on how to guard against the dynamic and, when it does surface in your team, how to deal with it without the drama.