What Blocks Successful Teamwork – And How to Overcome It

Often, it is our silent fear of looking stupid.

Today, I coach leaders and teams to collaborate with trust and Flow. I have led international tech teams and supported culture change through transformation and training initiatives. Business Agility, Radical Collaboration® and The Human Element® are now core components of my toolbox. I am proud of the results I have achieved — and the courageous conversations I now help leaders initiate.

But it has not always been like this. Years ago, I led a global project involving stakeholders from across corporate functions. Together with the Product Manger, we held countless meetings to align and define what was needed.

But something felt off.

Despite all our efforts, we were not making progress. We were gathering input, listening, and nodding, but we lacked real clarity. And I did not say anything. I assumed the Product Manager had it figured out, and I did not want to look like I didn't. Eventually, I could not ignore the feeling anymore. I turned to him and said:

"I am not sure what we are building. And I realise I have been holding back because I thought you had the answers"

He looked at me and said:

"I have felt the same way"

That moment was a wake-up call. We had both been pretending. Both avoiding the discomfort of not knowing. And it had stalled the entire team. That day, I made a decision that has followed me since:

If I do not understand something, I will speak up and keep asking questions until I do.

Because if I am confused, someone else likely is too. That shift changed everything about how I lead and collaborate.

In The Human Element®, this dynamic is called rigidity. It is a behaviour that comes from being in defence mode. Our defence mechanisms help us avoid uncomfortable feelings about ourselves. When leaders operate from fear of being exposed, they distort reality to protect their image. That distortion blocks flow, truth, and collaboration.

Since that moment, I have supported more than 100 leaders through the Radical Collaboration leadership course. I often describe these three days as a boot camp because I have witnessed, again and again, the powerful shift that occurs when participants experience what it means to become emotionally resilient and willing to be vulnerable, focusing on making it safe not to know and to fail.

Where in your team might unspoken confusion be blocking clarity?
What would shift if someone dared to say:

"I do not understand"
or
"I have failed"

I host a monthly meetup for my Circle of Friends. It is for people like you who are interested in Conscious Living and leadership. It is a space where it is safe to be real. There is no need to pretend and no pressure to have answers—just a willingness to explore and experience. 

You are welcome to join. Read more here.