When it comes to understanding how relational secrecy can affect team cohesion, trust, and unit performance, one must consider the psychological effects of secrecy itself. Secrecy is defined as an intentional act of concealment that involves intentionally hiding relevant information from others. This act can be done for various reasons such as avoiding shame or embarrassment, preventing rejection, preserving privacy, or simply for self-protection.
Keeping secrets from your team members can lead to feelings of distrust, which in turn can negatively impact team cohesion and unit performance.
Secrecy creates an imbalance of power within the group. When someone keeps something from their colleagues without consent, they hold onto all the power and knowledge, creating a sense of exclusivity and control. This power dynamic can create tension and resentment among team members who may feel excluded or left out. The secrecy itself can also make people feel uncomfortable because they don't know what they should say around the secret-keeper. This lack of comfortability leads to a breakdown in communication, making it harder for everyone to collaborate effectively.
Secrecy can erode trust between individuals and teams. Trust is essential in any successful relationship, whether professional or personal. Without trust, teams cannot work together efficiently and effectively, leading to reduced productivity and decreased morale. Keeping secrets makes people question the motives behind why certain decisions are being made or tasks are completed. In addition, if trust is broken due to secrecy, it becomes challenging to repair the damage caused by breaching this fundamental building block.
Relational secrecy has been shown to impede social bonding between team members, thus affecting team cohesion. Cohesion refers to how tightly bound a group feels together - when there's no common goal or shared experience, team cohesion suffers. Secrecy can create distance between teammates as they struggle to understand each other better. They may even become suspicious of one another, causing further distrust and disconnect. As a result, teamwork suffers, leading to poor performance outcomes.
In what ways does relational secrecy impact team cohesion, trust, and unit performance?
Relational secrecy can have a significant effect on team cohesion, trust, and unit performance. It is because when individuals withhold information from one another, they create an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion that leads to misunderstandings, conflicts, and decreased communication between team members. This lack of transparency also creates confusion, which makes it more difficult for everyone to work together effectively towards shared goals.