How Executive Coaching Helps Leaders Address Workplace Triangulation
Imagine this:
A team member comes to you frustrated. They’re venting about a colleague who “never follows through” and “constantly misses deadlines.” You ask if they’ve spoken to the person directly, and they say, “No—I didn’t want to cause tension.”
Or maybe you notice rising tension between two employees—but instead of addressing each other, they each come to you separately with their side of the story. Over time, others start taking sides, and the room feels divided.
This is triangulation at work—and it can quietly derail even the most well-intentioned teams.
In the realm of leadership coaching and professional development, effective communication is everything. Yet, one often-overlooked obstacle to high-performing teams is triangulation—a communication breakdown that can silently sabotage progress and trust.
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Unresolved triangulation leads to:
Damaged workplace relationships: Broken trust and lack of transparency
Increased emotional stress: Anxiety, tension, and feeling undermined
Lower team productivity: Time lost in gossip, churn, and conflict
Long-term team dysfunction: Communication silos, and persistent conflict
For those seeking to build high-performing teams, executive coaching provides the structure and guidance to break these cycles.
How Leadership Skills Training Can Fix Triangulation
Strong leadership skills include the ability to foster clear, respectful, and direct communication. Here’s how leaders can address triangulation:
Encourage direct conversations: Make it a team standard to address issues one-on-one before escalating.
Model transparency: Show your team what direct, respectful communication looks like in action.
Avoid the third-party trap: Ask, “Have you talked to them directly?” rather than stepping in as a go-between.
Stay neutral: Never assume one person’s version is the full truth—support resolution, not sides.
Coach through the conflict: Guide employees through how to have the conversation using a simple structure:
Intention: Why they’re initiating the talk
Concern: The specific issue
Impact: How the issue affected them or the team
Ask: Invite the other person’s perspective
Paraphrase: Clarify and acknowledge understanding
Collaborate: Co-create a resolution that strengthens the relationship
Sample Assertive Communication Script for Leaders
“I want to resolve an issue between us. Last week in our team meeting, you interrupted me five times. I felt disrespected in front of the group, and as a result, I shut down. We missed a chance for collaborative decision-making.What was your intention during that meeting? How can we better support each other in communicating fully during discussions?”
Why Executive and Leadership Coaching Is Key to Conflict-Resilient Teams
Building trust and reducing triangulation isn’t just about better conversations—it’s about leadership transformation. Whether you’re a manager or an executive, working with a coach can help you:
Build trust-based teams
Improve your communication toolkit
Handle conflict with clarity and poise
Strengthen overall leadership skills
If you're ready to take your communication—and your team—to the next level, contact me to learn more about our customized leadership coaching and executive coaching programs.