In a context of deep and rapid organizational transformation, our client a leader in future mobility faced a paradoxical situation: despite having expert, committed, and lucid teams, collective performance was being hindered by interpersonal tensions, growing psychological fatigue, and a progressive loss of shared milestones.

The observed signals (disengagement, defensive behaviors, diffuse conflicts, and mental overload) were not due to a lack of individual skills, but rather a systemic misalignment between the organization’s structure, human needs, and modes of cooperation.

The leadership team sought to go beyond a traditional audit to understand the actual inner workings of the collective, identify priority levers, and recreate the conditions for sustainable engagement.

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​Our approach

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We designed and deployed a "TeamUp" initiative centered on 2 key principles derived from our research and years of experience as HR executives:

• Psychological Safety : The bedrock of sustainable performance and an essential condition for collective learning, cooperation, and innovation (based on the work of Amy Edmonson, Harvard Business School). 

• Self-Determination Theory: Recognizing that observed behaviors are adaptive responses tu unmet needs rather than individual failings ( Deci & Ryan).

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The program was built upon:

• Preliminary individual interviews to capture diverse perspectives.

• Collective workshops focused on real-world dynamics.

• Visual and experiential tools (Wall of needs, Flashcards).

• Explicit articulation of the human mechanisms at play (defensive ego, disengagement, passive-agressive patterns, mental overload).

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The objective was not to produce an artificial consensus, but to make real tensions ans their systemic causes visible, understanding their impact on the group in order to take decisive action to resolve them.

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Diagnosis

Our analysis highlighted 3 structural findings:

1. Persistent Organizational Ambiguity
   The coexistence of diverging cultures (Industrial, Agile, Start-up) without explicit shared rules created contradictory expectations. This led to blurred roles & responsabilities and a progressive weakening of managerial legitimacy.

2. Unmet Collective Needs
   Fundamental needs for safety, recognition, clarity and autonomy were not sufficiently adressed. This gap triggered various protective behaviors, including withdrawal, irony, opposition and overcompensation.

3. Silent Disengagement
   Without intervention, teams were at risk of drifting toward organizational disengagement: maintening a physical presence while experiancing a significant decline in energy, initiative, and emotional involvement.

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Key Drivers

The TeamUp program enabled a shift perspective: from individuals to the system, from behaviors to needs, and from tensions to concrete levers for action.

• Clarifying the "Rules of the Game" Who decides? On what? With what level of accountability?
  Inspired by the work of Elinor Ostrom, we redefined the framework not as a constraint, but as a facilitator of cooperation.

• Re-establishing a Safe Relational Framework
  This involved naming "at-risk" behaviors, setting explicit ground rules, and restoring management's role in team regulation and conflict resolution.

• Transforming tensions into material for collective work
  The workshops allowed the teams to connect causes and effects, move past individual interpretations, and co-build realistic action plans by the teams themselves.

• Re-impulsing engagement through concrete action
  Each group formalized short-term commitments fostering "Quick Wins" to build immediate momentum and visible progress.

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Results

Following the program, several improvements were observed:

• Conflict Resolution : A significant reduction in tensions, replaced by more constructive and transparent communication.

• Ownership & Belonging: A renewed sense of belonging and a stronger commitment to collective responsability.

• Adaptive Capability: An increased ability to express needs, disagreements, and adjust work practices without over-personalizing issues.

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Beyond simple "Team building", this initiative established the foundations for a sustainable shift in cooperation, an essential prerequisite for high performance in complex and evolving environments.

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Key Takeaways

• Motivation cannot be mandated: It is co-created through the quality of the psychological climate.

• "Toxic" behaviors as signals : So-called "weak signals" of systemic imbalance within the organization.

• Psychological safety is not a "soft" topic but can be a strategic driver for performance, engagement and collective resilience.