Teams often struggle with hidden dysfunctions that disguise themselves as positive behaviours, like pretending everything’s fine when it isn't, making decisions in corridors rather than as a team, and heaping blame on a single person rather than addressing systemic issues.

These patterns are particularly insidious because they hide under seemingly good intentions, making them difficult to spot and address.

Noj Hinkins is a team coach and leadership development consultant. He’s been working with senior teams for the past 15-20 years, typically at director level and above, doing one-on-one coaching, team building, and leadership development work. He specialises in identifying dysfunctions that can hold teams back.

Three reasons to listen

• Recognise when toxic positivity is preventing your team from addressing real problems and creating a disconnect between team members
• Identify and eliminate covert processes that override team decisions
• Spot scapegoating patterns where teams blame one person for systemic issues

Episode highlights

• [00:12:50] Team patterns in 2026
• [00:14:19] Toxic positivity
• [00:24:23] Covert process
• [00:30:33] Scapegoating
• [00:41:39] What to do first if you spot these patterns
• [00:43:34] Noj's media recommendation
• [00:44:53] Takeaways from Dan and Pia

Links

• Covert Processes at Work, by Robert Marshak
• So Far So Good, by the Blue Moon – Noj’s media recommendation
• Track and improve your team performance with Squadify
• Leave us a voice note

In a working world where the conversation is increasingly dominated by AI, we need to consciously prioritise human connection and old-school practices, like face-to-face conversations, physical books, and time for deep thinking, to avoid becoming trapped in a cycle of constant acceleration that ultimately undermines our wellbeing and what makes us fundamentally human.

Jon Whittle is the former CEO of CSIRO's Data61, Australia's national AI research and development centre. He led a team of around 500 scientists, engineers and support staff across Australia. Jon’s working is transitioning to helping organisations understand and adopt AI in an effective, human-centred way, particularly with boards and leadership teams.

Three reasons to listen

• To reframe AI adoption around human needs rather than pure efficiency
• To discover the risks of outsourcing human connection to AI
• Ao learn how to adopt old-school practices that preserve your humanity

Episode highlights

• [00:10:24] Leading hundreds of scientists and engineers
• [00:13:14] What it means to be human in an AI world
• [00:23:25] The danger of sharing problems with AI rather than other humans
• [00:31:33] What Jon has learned from classical Indian dance
• [00:36:18] AI for Business
• [00:39:55] Jon's media recommendation
• [00:42:06] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Jon via LinkedIn
• AI for Business – Jon’s book
• CSIRO presents: Everyday AI – Jon’s podcast
• Turning Down the Noise – Jon’s media recommendation
• Track and improve your team performance with Squadify
• Leave us a voice note

Leading through uncertainty means accepting complexity rather than fighting it. The most powerful tool for doing so is clarity.

While conventional wisdom suggests focusing on trust-building and communication skills, Squadify data shows that starting with clarity – specifically around shared goals, processes, and measures of success – is what actually transforms groups of individuals into cohesive teams and drives performance.

Three reasons to listen

• Learn to befriend uncertainty and focus on what you can influence
• Discover how to build team cohesion through clarity rather than trust exercises
• Understand how teams work together as the key performance driver

Episode highlights

• [00:02:31] Jamie's question
• [00:03:36] Befriending uncertainty
• [00:05:38] Are you a team, or a TINO?
• [00:08:51] The sixth dysfunction in teams
• [00:11:12] The trigger question for high performance
• [00:13:42] Doubling down on humanity
• [00:16:41] Coming up in 2026

Links

• Track and improve your team performance with Squadify
• Leave us a voice note