‘I really don’t reach out to any of my colleagues when I’m struggling with a problem,” Alex confessed. “I’m the only woman at this level in the company and was chosen for this position over two men who were once my peers. I’m not about to ask for help and risk looking like I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Alex is one of three senior leaders who recently joined the executive team of a service organization. Team dynamics have not been the best since the CEO expanded the group composition. Episodes of friction and infighting between new and tenured members of the team have become routine, the effects of which are being felt by those lower in the organization. Like Alex, other members of the team weren’t reaching out to one another for input or advice because of fear of being judged harshly for doing so.

When I spoke with the CEO, it was clear that little had been done to truly integrate the team after it was expanded. Because the company was growing so rapidly, everyone was busy with their own divisional priorities, and the new team members got swept up in the flow.

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