When the Excitement Fades: The Silent Cost of Dysfunctional Teams

You started the new role with energy. 

Hope. 

Commitment. 

You were ready to make an impact—ready to contribute, learn, grow, and succeed.

On paper, it was the perfect opportunity. 

The role aligned with your skills. 

The company’s mission inspired you. 

The onboarding was seamless.

But six months in?

You’re already updating your résumé.

Not because you aren’t capable. 

Not because the job itself is wrong. 

But because the team culture is.

 The Moment the Excitement Fades 

You came in eager to contribute—only to find a team where collaboration feels forced. 

Where people look out for themselves, not each other. 

Where credit is carefully curated, but accountability disappears when things go wrong.

You start to realize that eloquence is rewarded more than effort. 

That performance is measured in optics, not outcomes. 

That the loudest voices dominate while real work gets ignored.

And slowly, the excitement fades into frustration. 

The passion gives way to politicking. 

And instead of thriving, you’re surviving—quietly scanning job boards during lunch breaks.

 The Confidence Slip No One Talks About

When the team culture breaks down, confidence follows.

• Confidence in your colleagues to show up and support.

  
  

• Confidence in leadership to notice what’s really happening.

• Confidence in yourself—to be seen, valued, and trusted to do meaningful work.

You begin to question your decision to join. 

You wonder if your expectations were too high. 

You carry the weight of disengagement, not because you want to—but because the environment is draining you.

And still, no one talks about it.

 The Cost of a Silent Resignation

Even if you don’t leave right away, your heart already has.

You go through the motions. You meet deadlines. You keep the peace.

But you’re no longer invested.

And the organization?

They likely have no idea what they’ve lost.

Because when a new hire disengages this early, it’s not just a personal loss—it’s an organizational failure.

• A loss of the time and energy it took to recruit and train them. 

• A loss of momentum on projects that now need to be reassigned. 

• A potential hit to the company’s reputation if the story travels externally.

When people quietly check out six months in, everyone loses.

 What If Teams Started With Intentional Culture?

Now imagine a different scenario.

Imagine if, on day one, the team didn’t just talk about project timelines and tech stacks—but about how they work together.

Imagine if:

✅ Team members aligned on shared values—not just deliverables.

✅ They discussed psychological safety as a non-negotiable, not a “nice to have.”

✅ They agreed to call out behaviors that harm the team, regardless of role or rank. 

✅ And they created a culture where feedback wasn’t feared—but welcomed.

Imagine walking into a space like that.

How much more productive would you be? 

How much more resilient would the team feel when challenges arose? 

How much more likely would you be to stay, grow, and contribute at your highest level?

 The Disconnect Between Intentions and Reality

Here’s the truth:

Most organizations mean well. 

Most people want to be part of a healthy, high-functioning team.

But too often, there’s a disconnect between intention and impact.

And when new hires walk into environments where:

• Politics overshadow performance,

  
  

• Behavior goes unchecked,

  
  

• And no one feels safe to say what they’re experiencing…

They don’t just lose faith in the team.

They lose faith in the culture.

 It’s Not Too Late to Course-Correct

The good news? Dysfunction is not a life sentence. It’s a signal.

And if we’re paying attention, it’s also an opportunity—to reflect, reset, and rebuild.

Here’s how teams (and leaders) can start:

✅ Establish shared principles early

Don't wait for problems to arise. At the beginning of any team formation (or reformation), align on your collective “how”—how you want to treat one another, how decisions get made, how you’ll hold each other accountable.

✅ Create a feedback culture that’s real

Make space for honest conversations. Normalize asking, “What’s not working?” And more importantly, follow through on what you hear.

✅ Call out the culture killers

When behavior that erodes trust shows up—dismissiveness, exclusion, gossip—don’t let it slide. Name it. Address it. Make it clear that culture is a shared responsibility.

✅ Support new hires beyond onboarding

It’s not enough to get them in the door. Check in often. Ask deeper questions. Make sure they’re not just surviving—but belonging.

✅ Lead with humility, not hierarchy

True leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about creating a room where everyone feels smart, seen, and supported.

 Final Word: Culture Is Built in the Small Moments

Every time a new person joins a team, a new opportunity is born. An opportunity to create something strong, inclusive, and trust-filled.

But too often, we squander that chance. We let dysfunction take root. We rely on values in PowerPoint decks instead of values in practice.

And then we’re surprised when good people quietly leave—or worse, disengage in place.

Let’s stop the cycle.

Let’s turn painful experiences into powerful lessons.

And let’s build teams where no one has to think about leaving six months in—because they’re too busy doing great work and thriving in the culture that welcomed them in the first place.

There’s an upside here. Let’s rise into it—together.