Are We Asking Too Little of Our Teams?
We ask a lot of our teams.
Deadlines, deliverables, hitting the next big milestone—it’s a constant push to get things done.
But when it comes to how our teams show up for each other, we often let things slide. We tolerate gossip, passive-aggressive comments, or silence when someone should speak up. In the rush to check boxes and move projects forward, we forget that the how of teamwork matters as much as the what.
The truth is, we’re asking too little of our teams—not in terms of tasks, but in terms of behaviors. The ways people communicate, collaborate, and hold each other accountable aren’t just details. They’re the foundation for trust, innovation, and actual results.
This point hit me squarely last week when I came across a story that made me stop and think. Dr. David Burkus shared how Alan Mulally, the CEO who famously turned Ford around, made a bold move when he took over in 2006.
He banned sarcastic jokes.
At first glance, it sounds trivial. But it wasn’t.
At Ford, snark and sarcasm had become the norm. Honest conversations were rare, problems went unaddressed, and teamwork was fractured.
It wasn’t just bad behavior—it was a cultural issue, and Mulally saw it for what it was: a barrier that had to be broken.
So, he called it out and demanded that people stop telling jokes at other’s expense. Not because banning jokes would magically fix everything, but because it forced the team to pay attention to something bigger: how their everyday interactions shaped the culture.
By highlighting the negative effects of sarcasm, Mulally opened the way for trust, respect, and honest conversations to take root.
Within a decade, Ford turned things around.
When Low Expectations Feel “Safe”
Let’s be honest. It’s easy to tolerate little things that don’t seem like a big deal:
A side-eye in a meeting.
A joke at someone’s expense.
A teammate quietly passing the blame.
We brush these behaviors off because they seem harmless, we don’t want to ruffle feathers, and we figure it’s just standard office stuff.
But those little things add up over time. They create an environment where people stop trusting each other, vulnerability feels risky, and innovation and accountability slowly die on the vine.
And we let it happen—not because we’re bad leaders, but because we’re human, and calling out those behaviors is uncomfortable. We tell ourselves, It’s not that big of a deal.
But it is a big deal. And here’s why: the culture you tolerate is the culture you create.
Psychological Safety Is the Game-Changer
Mulally’s no-sarcasm rule wasn’t just about cutting out snarky comments. It was about creating something much bigger: psychological safety.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s the idea that people need to feel safe to speak up, take risks, and admit mistakes without fear of judgment. Without it, even the most talented teams won’t perform at their best.
But here’s the thing: psychological safety doesn’t just appear because you say it’s essential. It’s built—or broken—by the everyday behaviors you allow. And leaders? We set the tone.
Mulally knew that if his team was going to solve big, ugly problems, they needed a culture where everyone felt safe to contribute.
No sarcasm was just the start. He really sent a message: We’re going to treat each other with respect, period.
Are we sending the same message to our teams? Or are we accidentally creating a culture where silence and self-preservation feel safer than honesty?
What Are You Modeling?
Leadership isn’t about what you say but what you model. Every team reflects its leader, whether we like it or not.
Mulally didn’t just ask his team to trust each other—he showed them what trust looked like. He was transparent, optimistic, and relentlessly committed to his people. He didn’t just talk the talk. He walked it.
The hard truth? Most of us struggle here. It’s one thing to expect trust, accountability, and vulnerability from your team. It’s another to model it yourself—consistently, on the good days and the bad ones.
But here’s the opportunity: start with you if you want your team to level up. Show them what it looks like to have tough conversations, admit your own mistakes, and call out the small behaviors that erode trust.
When you hold yourself to a higher standard, your team will rise to meet it.
The Subtle Shift
Mulally’s story reminds us that culture isn’t shaped by grand gestures. It’s built in the details—in the way we treat each other, moment by moment.
Too often, we overlook the power of these subtle shifts. We think we need massive changes to move the needle. But sometimes, the most significant breakthroughs come from the smallest actions.
What’s one small change you could make this week? Maybe it’s banning blame from meetings. Perhaps it’s starting every team huddle with a shoutout. Whatever it is, pick something—and commit.
Ask for more from your team.
Remember this next time you witness bad behavior on your team: when we ask too little of our teams, we’re not just holding them back. We’re holding ourselves back, too.
People rise—or fall—to the level of expectations set for them.
If you settle for surface-level collaboration, that’s all you’ll get.
But if you challenge your team to trust more, own more, and show up more fully, you’ll unlock potential you didn’t even know was there.
So, let me leave you with this: What’s one subtle shift you could make this week to ask more of your team—and yourself? Ask it and see what happens.