What’s a leader to do when the societal polarities trickle into organizational relationships? How do we respond when collaboration feels near impossible but is still required?

A recent APA report says stress is up. From the effects of the pandemic to a difficult ongoing season of divisions within our nation, not to mention any other personal concerns people may be facing, relating in any way (personally or professionally) may be difficult. I’m thinking of a team I connected with whose members share a common mission, but are unable to find ways of collaborating productively. Shared mission alone is not enough. Despair is starting to settle in. The leaders have to figure out how to help people come together through both stressors and major differences. What a leadership gift. What a leadership challenge!

In this situation, I encouraged the leadership to start with themselves and then address the larger team. Below are some reflections for those who might be in a similar scenario:

1. As a leader, what am I most anxious about? Leaders who don’t address their own anxieties are likely to contribute to furthering team anxiety.
2. What kind(s) of support do I need? What kind(s) of support does my team need? In Western thinking, leadership is often presented as solo, heroic activity. However, there is very little one can accomplish alone. Every person needs support (which can look like many things!) at some point. This is no different in a professional setting.
3. What is the larger vision for my team/organization? This is important in providing clarity on the why behind the work.
4. What are my values? What are my team’s values? Values are the hidden atoms holding relationships together.
5. How do our team’s differences collide? How do our differences complement each other? It takes a bit of listening and detective work to answer these questions. Differences in values, strengths, experiences, skills often enrich teams. However, it usually takes understanding and coordination for people to work in harmony (much like an orchestra).

The questions above provide no easy answers or instant solutions. However, they may lead to important conversations, pathways, and ideas to begin addressing some of the despair.