Your team member is undermining others' contributions. How can you rebuild trust and collaboration?

A bit of a more contrarian take: 1) DON'T waste time with "feedback sandwiches" or forced team-building exercises. → Call out the behavior directly, but PRIVATELY (don't sugarcoat). → Avoid vague feedback and BE SPECIFIC about what you’ve observed. → Ask them what’s REALLY driving their actions (often, it’s insecurity or feeling unheard). 2) SET norms and expectation + Create CONSEQUENCE-based accountability. 3) Encourage OPEN DISAGREEMENT instead of forced harmony. → Real trust is built when people can challenge each other honestly and know it’s SAFE to do so. 4) If improvement doesn't happen QUICKLY, be prepared to restructure the team. → Trust is your most valuable asset as a manager, protect it.

Effective communication is key to building trust and teamwork. 1. Assertive communication: Encourage open and respectful dialogue. 2. Common dialogue: Hold team discussions to reinforce values of teamwork and trust. 3. Active listening: Ensure each team member's viewpoints and expectations are heard and understood. Overcoming Challenges 1. Past experiences: Recognize how past behaviors can impact current relationships. 2. Regency effect: Be aware of how recent events can influence perceptions. 3. State of mind: Consider how emotions can affect interactions. Leadership Role 1. Ownership: Leaders should take initiative to engage team members. 2. Conversation starter: Encourage open discussion to build trust.

Address the situation directly but with care. Start by having a private conversation to understand the behavior and its root cause. Set clear expectations around respect and teamwork. Then, focus on rebuilding trust across the team by reinforcing a culture of open recognition, shared success, and transparency. Lead by example; celebrate each member’s input publicly and encourage collaboration. Trust is rebuilt not through words alone, but through consistent actions that make everyone feel valued and respected.

Rebuilding trust necessitates addressing the behaviour constructively and encouraging team togetherness. Begin by having a private conversation with the individual to hear their concerns and establish clear expectations for respectful collaboration. Reinforce the importance of each team member's contributions while emphasising a common vision. Encourage open discourse among team members to re-establish communication and resolve underlying conflicts. Implement conflict resolution techniques to help coordinate efforts and restore peace. Recognise good activities that promote cooperation, therefore fostering a culture of mutual respect and accountability for sustained success.

To rebuild, start by addressing the behaviour privately and directly, focusing on specific actions rather than personal traits. Stay calm and explain how their actions impact the team dynamic. Then, shift the focus to creating shared goals where everyone's contributions are clearly valued. Publicly recognize small wins from all team members to rebuild a culture of appreciation. For example, in meetings, you might say I really appreciate how Sarah's research helped shape our final decision. Finally, encourage open discussions where every voice is heard, maybe by rotating who leads updates or brainstorming sessions, to reinforce mutual respect and ownership.

Rebuilding trust entails addressing issues directly while encouraging collaboration. Begin by discussing the behaviour in private with a team member to better understand reasons and expectations for mutual respect. Reinforce the significance of each individual's contribution to the common goals. Facilitate productive team talks while fostering transparency and resolving conflicts. Establish explicit cooperation and accountability standards to govern future encounters. Recognise and reward positive efforts to improve collaboration. This strategy fosters a supportive environment, resulting in successful restoration of trust and collaboration.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. One of the most effective steps leaders can take is to initiate an open dialogue with the entire team, including the member whose actions have been challenging. Creating a safe and respectful space encourages grievances to surface constructively, without blame. When conversations are guided by a desire to understand rather than to judge, conflict turns into connection, and challenges become opportunities for unity and growth. Open, honest dialogue is the foundation for deeper trust, stronger collaboration, and lasting resilience within any organization.

Absolutely — open dialogue promotes healing and prevents resentment from festering. Key steps: • Set clear ground rules for respect • Focus discussions on behaviors, not personal attacks • Align on shared goals for future collaboration

If a team member is undermining others' contributions, the first step I would take is to prioritize an open and honest conversation. I believe trust can only be rebuilt when people feel heard, respected, and understood. I would create a safe space for the team to express their thoughts, both individually and as a group, and encourage open dialogue about how each person's contributions are valuable. Instead of placing blame, I would focus on reinforcing shared goals, reminding everyone that we succeed together. Clear communication, empathy, and setting expectations for mutual respect would be key. From there, small collaborative wins and positive reinforcement can slowly rebuild the trust and team spirit we need to move forward stronger.

After listening to everyone’s concerns, it’s important to establish clear guidelines for acceptable behavior and communication. These boundaries should be specific, realistic, and consistently enforced to ensure everyone feels respected. By setting these standards, you not only create a zero-tolerance policy for undermining actions but also demonstrate a strong commitment to maintaining a positive, collaborative team dynamic. When boundaries are respected, trust is strengthened, and teams thrive.

Setting clear boundaries is not about control, but about creating a safe environment where everyone feels respected and valued. When we define, specifically and consistently, what is non-negotiable – like respect and collaboration – we show that trust is built through actions. Leading means ensuring no one has to fight to be heard.

Steps 2 & 3 need to be done in conjunction at the same group meeting. All leadership needs to be on the same page, not only in communicating or reinforcing policy but also in its subsequent enforcement: "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." A united leadership that actively and consistently safeguards safety and respect will deter future flare-ups of undermining behavior. Private and regular 1:1s with direct reports are where policies are reinforced and further clarified, if necessary. Likewise, this is where infractions should be handled directly with anyone who breaks the policies. 1:1s with employees are where you establish a healthy work relationship; if you do not foster genuine, honest, open dialogue, the team dynamic will suffer.

The team member responsible for undermining behavior must acknowledge their actions and recognize the impact they’ve had on the team. It’s equally important for them to actively engage in the solution by committing to change their behavior. When accountability is paired with support from the team, it becomes a powerful catalyst for healing, rebuilding trust, and mending relationships. By embracing personal responsibility, we not only resolve conflicts but also strengthen the team dynamic and create a more resilient, collaborative environment.

Address the behavior privately and reinforce the importance of mutual respect. Set clear expectations for conduct and team contribution. Encourage ownership by assigning roles with visible responsibilities. Fostering accountability helps rebuild trust and supports a collaborative culture.

One thing I've noticed is that negative behavior is often rewarded with positive consequences. After recognizing this, I decided to focus more on encouraging positive behavior and ensuring those actions lead to positive outcomes.

tracking progress across team members is crucial. It not only shows where improvement is happening, but also helps identify who might need extra support, ensures accountability, and celebrates wins along the way.

Have a clear roles and responsibilities, and ensure having daily stands up and a recap by the end of the day this make engagement more better. From time to tome have one to one meeting with each member of your team. As a team leader work more on your emotional intelligence skills.