Team Dynamics: The Hidden Currents Beneath The Surface

If you're leading a team, you know that what you see on the surface isn't the whole picture. Just like ocean currents, invisible forces beneath the surface shape how your team behaves. 

These currents (unspoken fears, group dynamics, and subconscious patterns) can pull people in different directions without them even realising.

Conflict in teams often comes from these unseen forces - not what’s openly discussed. Understanding these patterns is key to leading effectively and running successful team workshops.

From my experience in team coaching, a useful framework for team dynamics is Wilfred Bion’s theory of assumptive cultures. Bion, a psychoanalyst, studied how teams unconsciously organise themselves when faced with anxiety or uncertainty. 

His insights help leaders recognise what’s happening beneath the surface—and, more importantly, learn how to navigate it.

Bion’s Three Basic Assumptive Cultures

When teams are working well, they operate in a work group culture. They focus on goals, communicate openly, and respond rationally to challenges. 

But when uncertainty, pressure, or hidden fears creep in, teams unconsciously slip into basic assumptive cultures, where emotion takes over logic, leading to predictable but unhelpful behaviours. He identified three categories.

1. Dependency Culture

The team leans too heavily on the leader, expecting them to have all the answers. People become passive, compliant, or resentful when leadership doesn’t meet their unspoken expectations.

Signs to Watch For:

•  The team looks to you for every decision, no matter how small.

•  People seem frustrated but can’t explain why.

•  There's little initiative or independent problem-solving.

How to Lead Through It:

•  Encourage autonomy by delegating decisions.

•  Create space for the team to problem-solve together.

•  Reinforce a growth mindset where it’s okay not to have all the answers.

2. Fight/Flight Culture

The team reacts defensively to perceived threats. This can appear as conflict (fight)—power struggles, resistance to leadership, factions forming—or avoidance (flight)—disengagement, procrastination, or people pulling away from work.

Signs to Watch For:

•  Rising tensions or resistance to feedback.

•  Subgroups forming, creating an “us vs. them” dynamic.

•  A drop in energy, participation, or commitment.

How to Lead Through It:

•  Address fears head-on with open discussions.

•  Reinforce shared goals to realign the team.

•  Use structured conflict resolution to surface and resolve tensions.

3. Pairing Culture

The team fixates on individual relationships instead of the work as a whole. They idealise certain members or get caught up in personal dynamics, distracting from real goals.

Signs to Watch For:

•  Exclusive partnerships dominating discussions.

•  More interest in side conversations than team objectives.

•  Energy shifting toward speculation, alliances, or fantasising about a “perfect solution.”

How to Lead Through It:

•  Bring the focus back to shared responsibilities.

•  Encourage inclusivity and prevent silos.

•  Redirect energy toward practical, achievable goals.

Other Assumptive Cultures

Since Bion’s work, researchers have expanded on his ideas, identifying additional assumptive cultures teams may fall into.

Oneness Culture

The team seeks unity at all costs, avoiding difficult discussions and prioritising harmony over progress. Dissenting voices are silenced, leading to groupthink.

Leadership Approach:

•  Encourage healthy debate and diverse perspectives.

•  Challenge the team to surface real issues instead of avoiding them.

•  Reinforce that conflict in teams can be productive when managed well.

Me Culture

Instead of acting as a team, individuals focus on their own needs, careers, or agendas. This leads to disengagement and a lack of accountability.

Leadership Approach:

•  Reinforce shared goals and responsibilities.

•  Address self-serving behaviour by promoting a team-first mindset.

•  Foster a culture of accountability and collaboration. know that awareness and action are key to transforming team dynamics. Here are  practical ways to keep your team aligned and resilient:

What Can You Do As A Leader

Having worked as an experienced executive coach with leadership teams across industries, I’ve seen how these patterns emerge—and how leaders can shift them.

Here are practical ways to keep your team aligned and resilient:

1. Develop Awareness: Notice when your team slips from a work group culture into an assumptive culture. Awareness is half the battle.

2. Create Psychological Safety: Encourage open conversations about challenges, making it safe for people to speak up.

3. Use Reflection Exercises: Help the team recognise their patterns by facilitating discussions about how they’re working together.

4. Balance Leadership & Autonomy: Lead decisively, but don’t let the team become overly dependent on you.

5. Build Team Resilience: Equip your team with skills to manage uncertainty and change together.

Final Thoughts

By recognising these team dynamics and patterns as well as leading with intention, you can keep your team steady, focused, and performing at its best—even in uncertainty. 

Whether you're running team workshops or involved in team coaching, understanding these dynamics makes all the difference in building a high-functioning, resilient team.