How to break up a clique on your team like a leader, not a manager

July 13, 2026

It’s Tactical Tuesday!

Here is the Thought, Tip, and Tool of the week...need Leadership 101 tools? Start here.

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The Thought

Did you know… cliques rarely form because people want to divide the team.

They form because people naturally connect with those they're most comfortable around.

The problem isn't friendship.

The problem is when those friendships create exclusion.

Quote:
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." – Phil Jackson

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The Tip

Remember to…

1. Address the impact, not the friendship

A manager says:

"You all need to stop hanging out together."

A leader says:

"Let's talk about the impact this dynamic is having on the rest of the team."

One of my favorite tools is the SBI Model (from Center for Creative Leadership):

Situation
What happened?

Behavior
What did you observe?

Impact
How did it affect the team?

Then ask:

How do you think others experience this dynamic?
What impact might this have on trust or inclusion?

Most people don't have bad intentions.

Sometimes they just don't see the impact.

2. Build bridges across the team

A manager says:

"You need to work with different people."

A leader creates opportunities for connection.

Be intentional about pairing people on projects, shadowing opportunities, or cross-functional work.

Then ask:

Who could benefit from working more closely together?
How can we create more opportunities for collaboration?

You can't force relationships.

But you can create the environment where they naturally grow.

3. Reinforce the team identity

A manager says:

"Stop acting like you're in high school."

A leader says:

"Let's define the kind of team we want to be."

One of my favorite exercises:

Create two columns:

This Is Who We Are
vs.
This Is Who We're Not

Define how your team collaborates.

How disagreements are handled.

What inclusion looks like.

What gossip looks like.

When the team creates these standards together, they're far more likely to hold each other accountable.

Strong team cultures leave very little room for unhealthy cliques.

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The Tool

Short Video: Learn how to respond when someone is pleasant in front of you but critical behind your back—without becoming defensive or creating more division.

See how leaders create psychological safety, rebuild trust, and encourage honest conversations instead of hallway conversations.

Watch the viral video on TikTok

Watch this video & read the post on LinkedIn

Watch this video on Instagram

Watch this video on Facebook

Or watch other CLA videos here on YouTube

___________________________

Leadership Question of the week…

Here is the top question this week from our 200+ Leadership Questions (part of our Complete Leader Package. Don’t have these? Get instant access here.

❓Do you feel you have the right balance of teamwork and individual work?

❓What’s one shift that would help?

❓How do we support each other in finding that balance?

___________________________

Activity of the week…

Here is the top activity this week from our 52 Team Meeting Activity Cards. Don’t have these download? Limited time offer: Only $30 (usually $47). Use code: ACTIVITY30

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Check out my Team Meeting Activities Playlist here

Want more? Instantly download these ready-to-use tools.

Spark dialogue with your team.

Ignite engagement.

These tools, talk-tracks, tips, activities and questions will make your leadership work easier in 2026!

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Thank you for leading and lifting others out there!

-Dwight

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