Difficulties of Exclusion
The exclusion process, termination, transferral, exit etc. from a team can be difficult in various ways. It always means that a team must decide whether it is satisfied with a weak and potentially dysfunctional exclusion or whether it builds up (additional) competences to handle the existing state skilfully. The most frequent and important obstacles are the following:
• Strong team bonds are often considered as exclusively desirable. However, when a team shows relationship patterns which are similar to those in families, then the resistance to departure will, in all probability, grow: Nobody wishes to depart and let others depart. However, when remaining in the team seems dysfunctional, from an organisational viewpoint (someone is more important elsewhere), or there is an issue of competence (someone is not suited to the altered team task), it becomes difficult.
• Inability to grieve is another, reduced competence in the team: To be able to allow someone to leave well, one must say goodbye internally, otherwise one remains stuck, or everyone becomes equally exchangeable, which, in turn, leads to weakening the cohesion of the team.
• Instead of departing, styles such as excluding, disowning, ostracising, running down or scheming are chosen. Such processes always trigger feelings of guilt in the perpetrators (consciously or unconsciously) and at the same time, generalised fear arises in the whole team, because nobody knows if it might not be his turn next. This draws attention to the fact that the accomplishment of the actual task is missing.