Contempt
Sarcasm, cynicism, eye-rolling, hostile humor, mockery behind someone’s back (or to their face) are all expressions of contempt.
Gottman identifies this as the worst of the four horsemen, because the feelings of disgust are so strong they drown out our ability to really listen to the other person or see them as valuable or worthy of respect.
Defensiveness
Ever back a frightened cat into a corner? That’s a pretty good picture of a defensive reaction.
It’s the unwillingness to humbly consider what another person is saying about your choices, your behavior or its impact on them. It’s a self-protective reaction that tries to turn to focus off of you and onto the other person.
The underlying message of a defensive reaction is basically, “It’s not my fault; it’s yours!” Defensiveness erodes trust and escalates conflict.
Stonewalling
The more common team vernacular for this behavior is “checking out.” You may still be physically in the room, but that’s the only part of you still present.
You’ve totally disengaged. You tune out. You’ve left the party.
When people stonewall on a team, it’s like they aren’t even there anymore. Because they aren’t.
If any of these behaviors are present on your team (including in you), it’s like a red alert your team no longer feels like a safe place to be for your team members. There are unresolved hurts running the show, and they will continue to do so until they are thoughtfully and carefully addressed.
For the sake of your team’s effectiveness (not to mention its overall health), some deeper conversation needs to happen—and happen fast. The best course of action is to bring in a coach who is trained in team dynamics to work with you and your team until the underlying issues are addressed and resolved.
If you want more information, or would just like to talk about your particular situation with a coach, drop me a line.
In the meantime, I’m curious: Have any of the horsemen shown up on teams you’ve been a part of? If so, how did you handle it?
