Leadership teams are typically fueled by strong personalities. High-level leadership does not come without strength of will and volition—but with strength, comes conflict. What triggers one leader’s reaction can quickly erupt into a team conflict. Disagreements are inevitable when individual priorities clash or when people’s concerns are incompatible.

Resolution lies in getting everyone to express their concerns and interests and then jointly committing to a course of action. Simple, right?

The Challenge

Resilient and diverse leadership teams, rich in strengths, possess many traits that have carried leaders far. Mature leaders bring ingrained styles shaped by past successes—some lean in aggressively, others avoid confrontation, and many influence in unique ways. These personality traits and action styles can interact in unexpected ways – leading to conflict and chaos.

But are they unpredictable?

As we work with teams, we see domino actions where leaders’ worst sides trigger another’s worst side in conflicts. Watch a team in conflict, and you’ll see one of three defense mechanisms:

Aggressive members will show lots of charisma and make their case (dominate).
Detached members will become quiet and not speak up (withdraw).
Compliant members are likely to agree with the team leader and diligently support success (ingratiate).

What Are Domino Derailers? Understanding the Chain Reaction

Team dynamics often resemble a chain reaction where one team member’s stress-induced behaviors can trigger a cascade of responses from others. Take this example:

An overconfident emotionally expressive leader might unintentionally cause a more reserved colleague to withdraw.
This withdrawal could lead to the loss of valuable insights and contributions.
It might also cause a third member to be frustrated by their disengagement, try to align closely with the team leader in a hope that the stupidity will end.
And so forth... It goes on, cascading through the team.

At worst, the core issue of disagreement is lost in the mashup and people are just reacting. Is this a personality conflict? Maybe. However, we like to talk about it more analytically as domino derailers. Individual tendencies go too far and they, and the team goes off the rails.

How do we manage domino derailers?

Self-awareness is the first step in addressing derailers. Open dialogue about these tendencies can prevent misunderstandings, preserve trust, and strengthen collaboration. A proactive approach ensures that every member’s unique perspective is valued and harnessed effectively.

Using The Right Tools – Why We Use Hogan Assessment

A more precise way to get at derailers is to use the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), which helps identify 11 personality tendencies of taking things too far and withdrawing, dominating, or integrating. The Hogan Test allows us to illuminate these traits systematically so that we can leverage them in productive ways.

This table shows 11 personality traits and tendencies Hogan Assessments allow us to identify.

Real-World Examples of Domino Effects

1. Bold and Excitable Meets Reserved:

An overconfident, emotive, high-energy style can overshadow a quieter colleague. Feeling ignored or undervalued, the reserved member may withdraw, leading the team to miss out on critical insights.

Tip: Use structured agendas, and round-robin brainstorming, that ensure all

voices are heard. Actively invite quieter members to share their perspectives

before decisions are finalized.

2. Skeptical and Leisurely Meets Imaginative

An imaginative team member may share a continuous stream of poorly vetted ideas which might initially be challenged by an untrusting peer with a different agenda. Eventually the skeptic stops sharing her ideas while becoming internally frustrated, creating tension with an optimistic peer, eventually causing the optimist to disengage.

Tip: Pair skeptics and innovators for balanced outcomes, emphasizing that both

traits bring value to brainstorming and implementation stages.

3. Excitable Chain Reaction

When an entire team shares a derailer like excitability, stress can amplify impulsive tendencies, leading to rushed and poorly thought-out decisions.

Tip: Introduce pause-and-reflect protocols to allow for thoughtful decision-

making during high-pressure situations.

Proactive Strategies to Address Domino Effects

How can leaders take proactive steps to mitigate domino derailer impacts?

1. Encourage Self-Awareness

Facilitate sessions for team members to reflect on their derailers and understand how these behaviors influence group dynamics.

Tip: Conduct a workshop to explore and share personal stress responses and their impact on others.

2. Create Safeguards for Collaboration

Establish team norms that reduce the likelihood of chain reactions, such as requiring dual input (creative and operational) before major decisions. For example, one leadership team implemented a “Rule of Two” for key decisions, fostering well-rounded outcomes.

Tip: Establish rules for decision-making processes or introduce a cooling-off period before acting on contentious issues.

3. Foster Open Dialogue

Cultivate an environment where team members can voice concerns about dynamics in a constructive, nonjudgmental way. Psychological safety matters on leadership teams, too!

Tip: Conduct short “pulse check” meetings to provide a forum for addressing stress points and revisiting team norms.

4. Leverage Complementary Styles

Intentionally pair team members with contrasting traits to create balance, ensuring that no one derailer dominates the dynamic. For example, a pragmatic operator and an excitable visionary partnered to bring both creativity and feasibility to a product launch.

Tip: Assign complementary roles in advance to capitalize on individual strengths, such as pairing creative thinkers with operational planners during key projects to ensure both innovation and execution are prioritized.

Key Takeaways for Leaders – The Value of Understanding Personality

Is the Hogan Personality Assessment Worth It?

The real question isn’t whether assessments like Hogan Test are worth the cost—it’s whether your leadership team’s impact justifies the investment. After all, strong team dynamics are the foundation of effective decision-making, seamless collaboration, and sustained success.

The right approach enables organizations to:

Embrace diverse perspectives for balanced decision-making.
Align team values to minimize biases and foster cohesion.
Address stress-induced behaviors openly to prevent derailment.
Build feedback loops for continuous growth and self-awareness.

Taking Action

If your leadership team faces challenges with dynamics or decision-making, we’d love to help. At TADA, we specialize in helping leadership teams unlock their potential to lead with clarity and impact.

Triggered! How Conflict Ripples Through Teams