16. Six Functional Team Dynamics: What they reveal about the function’s state

Ever sat in a functional team meeting thinking, “Why do we keep talking like this?” What if those awkward conversations and recurring patterns weren’t just quirks—but clues? Clues to the strategic tensions, the complexity of business partnering, and the invisible forces shaping how team members show up.

In this podcast, Petros Oratis and Warden Hoffman—seasoned insiders, researchers, and consultants to functional teams—bring humor and heart to a revealing exploration of functional team dynamics. They introduce six vivid "archetypes" that show up again and again in functional teams across industries:

🏆 Best Business Contest – Competitive energy disguised as collaboration

😢 Detox Retreat – Emotional processing without resolution

⚔️ Holy Warriors – Mission-driven clashes over values

📣 Grievance Union – Collective venting with no clear path forward

🐝 Show-Off Beehive – Buzzing brilliance with little cohesion

🍰 High-Tea Gathering – Polite avoidance of deeper tensions

These aren’t dysfunctions to fix—they’re reflections of a team’s values and strengths that, in the moment, may be in conflict or struggling to surface. By recognizing these patterns, we can shift the team’s awareness and spark the right conversations that meet its true needs.

What if in the moment we could shift the team's consciousness and hold the right dialogue that addresses the actual needs of the team?

💡 What dynamics have you seen in your own team? Tune in, reflect, and join the dialogue.

 

The Lateral Space website: http://www.thelateralspace.com

Petros Oratis bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petrosoratis/

Warden Hoffman bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warden-hoffman-72b5801/