Richard Brenner: How Small Signs of Cynicism Can Destroy Agile Team Cohesion

Richard shares a powerful story about how team dysfunction often starts with small steps. During a joint retrospective with three agile teams, Richard witnessed a moment where a team member made a cynical comment toward a manager who was attempting to participate. This revealed a damaged relationship between management and the team, creating tension that Richard initially chose to ignore. Looking back, he would now immediately address such comments and tackle the “elephant in the room.” Richard explains how seemingly minor behaviors like cynicism or passive-destructive actions (such as consistently being late to stand-ups) can significantly impact team health. He recommends establishing conflict resolution protocols early and using impact feedback without judgment to address these issues before they escalate.

In this segment, we refer to Lysa Adkins’ conflict resolution protocol.

Self-reflection Question: What small signs of dysfunction might you be overlooking in your team that could develop into larger problems?

Featured Book of the Week: Solution Focused Coaching for Agile Teams

Richard recommends “Solution Focused Coaching for Agile Teams” by Ralph and Veronika. This book describes the solution-focused approach to many common situations that Agile coaches face in their work. Richard values this resource for its practical guidance on addressing challenges through a positive, solution-oriented perspective rather than dwelling on problems.

About Richard

Richard is a versatile technology leader with experience as a Software Engineer, Product Owner, and Agile Coach. Passionate about building software that excites, he thrives at the intersection of technology, change, and leadership. Lately, he’s focused on Collaborative Modeling, bridging disciplines to drive innovation and create meaningful impact.

You can link with Richard Brenner on LinkedIn.