Am I the Problem?
“Am I the Problem?"
The Leader’s Guide to Fixing a Dysfunctional Leadership Team
Many leaders we’ve worked with have had one or more moments of doubt: Is my leadership team broken because of me?It’s a tough question, but an important one. The good news? If you're asking it, you're already ahead of most.
Dysfunctional teams don’t happen by accident. But they also aren’t the result of one person’s failure. Team dysfunction is a system-wide issue, and the key to fixing it isn’t playing the blame game—it’s diagnosing the real problem and addressing it objectively and systematically.
Why Dysfunctional Teams Happen
A high-performing team should be a force multiplier, driving clarity, execution, and results. Instead, many leaders find themselves stuck in an endless cycle of misalignment, internal conflict, and stalled progress.
Here’s what typically goes wrong:
Unspoken Expectations – Team members assume they know what’s expected but rarely voice their actual needs.
Hidden Conflict – Tensions simmer beneath the surface, leading to passive-aggressive behavior or disengagement.
Lack of Accountability – Roles and responsibilities aren’t clear leading to failing execution and finger-pointing
Misalignment on Vision – A team pulling in different directions due unclarity on the end-goal, creating friction and inefficiency
Insufficient support – Not providing the right tools and enablers, tangible or intangible lead to inertia and, again, frustration
The Role of the Leader: A Strategic Fix, Not a Personal Failure
Here’s the truth: A leader’s job isn’t to personally “fix” every challenge—it’s to create the conditions where high performance is inevitable. That requires a systematic, science-backed approach, not just hoping that emotional intelligence and team-building exercises will magically smooth things over.
How to Diagnose and Fix Dysfunction Objectively:
✔ Use Behavioral Data, Not Just Gut Instinct
Understanding leadership styles and hidden motivations is critical. Tools like the Birkman Method and neuroscience-backed behavioral assessments reveal underlying dynamics that drive (or derail) team performance.
✔ Create Psychological Safety
Teams function best when they feel safe to challenge ideas, voice concerns, and admit mistakes without fear for blame. Building a culture of open, honest communication is non-negotiable.
✔ Clarify Roles & Decision-Making Authority
Confusion breeds dysfunction. Define who owns what, how decisions get made, and where accountability lies.
✔ Align on Vision and Strategy
If leaders aren’t 100% aligned on where the company is going and how to get there, execution will always be a struggle. Clear, consistent messaging from the top down keeps everyone rowing in the same direction.
The Bottom Line
If your leadership team feels like it’s working against itself, the problem isn’t you—it’s the system you’re operating within. The best leaders don’t waste time assigning blame. They diagnose, adapt, and systematically remove dysfunction from their teams.
Therefore the question isn’t “Am I the problem?” but rather “What IS the problem and HOW do we fix it?”.
The answer is in the data. Let’s find it together.
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