Reducing Political Tension in Teams

Competition within teams can often spill into unhelpful political posturing, which doesn't help either the team or the organisation. So sometimes it is necessary to reduce the tension between team members, particularly if there is a risk of it turning into bitter rivalry.

Last year, I wrote a chapter for the AMA Handbook of Leadership by Marshall Goldsmith which discussed how to adjust the political temperature of teams, both up and down. In it, I suggested some of the practical things you can do to reduce tension, including building an external succession plan, removing veto powers, insisting key stakeholders sign-off plans and altering the language you use. You can read more about political temperature here.

What suggestions and ideas can you share about how to adjust the tension downwards?

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