Our leadership team is intellectually aligned on our V/TO®, but we have two members who are constantly passive-aggressive during our weekly Level 10 Meetings™. How do we address this subtle, toxic behavior before it poisons the rest of the leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Passive-aggressive behavior is a cancer on a leadership team. It is often more dangerous than open conflict because it is harder to pin down, yet it completely erodes trust and alignment. Cracks at the leadership level always appear as massive canyons to the rest of the organization. You must address this behavior immediately and directly.

During your next Level 10 Meeting™, do not let passive-aggressive comments, eye-rolling, or heavy sighs slide. Call it out in real time, but do it objectively. State exactly what you observed and ask them to clarify what they mean. For example, say, I noticed you sighed when we discussed this metric. What are your actual thoughts on this issue? This forces the unspoken conflict into the open where it can be addressed using the IDS® tool.

If the behavior persists, you must handle it outside the meeting in a one-on-one session. Use your core values as the benchmark. Explain how their behavior is violating your core values and damaging team health. Make it clear that open, honest, and vulnerable communication is a non-negotiable requirement for sitting on the leadership team.

Remember, a healthy leadership team must be cohesive and collaborative. If these two leaders cannot resolve their underlying friction and commit to healthy conflict, you must evaluate if they still fit their seats on the Accountability Chart.