Some teams and managers create environments where backstabbing, shit-talking, and gossiping are the norm.
They do this, with the best of intentions – and are guilty of hiding their eyes, ears and mouths from the reality they are seeing.
You can do something about it.
With the executive team we have fallen into a pattern and both begin to recognize that pattern as a rule. The more both of us support and try to work within that rule pattern the more it becomes reinforced, believed and practiced.
Using personality or behavior assessments (DiSC, MBTI, Big 5, etc.) continually reinforces the false belief that people are the problem and they are not good enough being who they are.