Team Member Accused Another of Disrupting Their Work? Ask Yogesh Sood
Dear Yogesh,
I have been working in a Digital Marketing Agency and handling different brands simultaneously. All brands delivered good results, and healthy internal competition flourished between teams. People were helpful and were ready to go out of their way to help each other, even outside their teams.
However, cut-throat competition found its way, and the healthy competition has transformed into accusations and mudslinging. Teams have started the blame game and are openly pointing fingers at each other for their dismal performance. It has created an internal rivalry, and the underlying mutual trust has taken a back seat.
Should I initiate an internal inquiry to get to the root cause of the accusations? Or do I need to conduct a one-on-one session with team members to understand their concerns, insecurities, and issues? I am confused about how to bring together different teams who are currently at loggerheads.
The situation is alarming, and I am truly clueless about how to proceed ahead. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the same.
Regards,
Shalini
Dear Shalini,
The situation is anything but normal and requires quick intervention. Humans are hard to understand and can easily find conflicts with other groups. However, trivial fights among different teams are a common scenario in the workplace, but when things spiral up in the form of wild accusations. It is time to ponder and analyze the situation at hand.
Without having a detailed account of the accusations made, supporting evidence, and its impact on the organization, it is hard to formulate an intelligent response. Further, I would urge you to find answers to a few questions like
- What action is sought by the accuser regarding the accusations?
- Is there any malicious intent behind or does the accusation hold any merit?
- Is there any need for arbitration or mediation on the matter?
You are definitely in a tight spot, and being a fair judge or referee is beyond question. Before reaching any conclusion or initiating any action, it is essential to get HR involved. Further, it raises the fear of a lawsuit against you or your organization if the allegations are unfounded.
You need to analyze the situation to decide if those accusations are based on simple he said, she said, or contain any substance. If the former is the case, it is better to bring the different teams together on talking terms and go for a reset. Even if it means being a mediator, don’t feel shy to take the lead to establish the existing culture of “all-for-one, one-for-all.”
There could be another case where the accuser might be hurt due to an unfortunate incident where another person has not admitted the mistake. Or it could be due to the perceived feeling of being subjected to unfair treatment. Also, our inner insecurities often make us behave strangely and hurl wild accusations at others. But all this can be stated only after a thorough introspection. It is better to take stock of the situation rather than ignore it and move ahead. Assess if there is any need to involve HR professionals in all this, or if a simple “Let’s sit together and talk” session could resolve the issue. Personally speaking, I truly believe that dialogue is the way forward and can make a difference.
Once the storm has settled, your sole responsibility is to rebuild your team as a leader and ensure strong interpersonal bonding between your teams.
Regards,
Yogesh Sood
It is an adaptation of a blog written by MADELEINE HOMAN BLANCHARD on August 6, 2022.