In a recent LinkedIn post, Florence Divet ☀️ challenges conventional approaches to team dynamics, arguing that focusing on personality labels is less effective than identifying and coaching behavioral patterns. The leadership coach emphasizes that true team development hinges on understanding the underlying causes of repeated actions rather than resorting to quick judgments about an individual’s character.
Florence Divet ☀️ begins by highlighting common, often unhelpful, labels applied in professional settings: “She’s difficult.” “He’s defensive.” “They don’t collaborate.” “She’s a control freak.” “He lacks empathy.” While these labels might feel explanatory, the post suggests they are rarely productive for fostering improvement.
The Distinction Between Personality and Pattern
The core of Florence Divet ☀️’s argument rests on a crucial distinction: you cannot coach a personality, but you can coach a pattern. This reframing, according to Florence Divet ☀️, is key to unlocking progress with struggling individuals and teams.
“Personality isn’t what’s getting in the way. The repeated behaviour is,” Florence Divet ☀️ states. The post elaborates on this by linking specific behaviors to their potential underlying drivers:
“A leader who micromanages is often managing their own uncertainty.
• A team member who gets defensive is protecting themselves from feeling incompetent.
• Someone who dominates every meeting learned that being heard means speaking first and loudest.
• The colleague who never pushes back learned that disagreement carries a cost.
• The one who always says “yes” is buying peace now and paying for it later.”
Florence Divet ☀️ posits that the same person might exhibit different behaviors depending on the context, suggesting that behavior is not an immutable aspect of personality but rather a response to circumstances.
Coaching Through Questions and Experiments
The post critiques the common leadership question, “how do I change this person?” Florence Divet ☀️ proposes that more effective coaching arises from smaller, more targeted inquiries that focus on the observable pattern. These questions include:
- What keeps happening?
- When does it happen?
- What sets it off?
- What do they do next?
- What does that create in the team?
- What would they need to do differently?
“Those questions move you from personality to pattern. And patterns move,” Florence Divet ☀️ writes. The article advocates for behavioral change through small, manageable experiments rather than abstract directives like “be more confident” or “stop being defensive,” which offer no clear action steps.
Practical Experiments for Behavioral Change
Florence Divet ☀️ provides concrete examples of such experiments:
- For interruptors: “The experiment is one sentence: for the next three meetings, wait until someone finishes before you add your view.”
- For micromanagers: “Pick one decision this week, hand over full ownership, and stay out of it until the milestone you agreed.”
- For those resistant to feedback: “When it stings, ask one clarifying question before you defend yourself.”
The principle is that small shifts, when repeated, become noticeable and can lead to significant changes in team perception and dynamics.
Systemic Patterns and Their Impact
Florence Divet ☀️ also addresses the more complex scenario where problematic patterns are not isolated to one individual but are embedded within the team’s system. An example provided illustrates a detrimental feedback loop: a leader’s micromanagement leads the team to stop taking ownership, which in turn prompts the leader to micromanage even more. This cyclical dynamic can lead to the false conclusion that the team members are simply incapable.
“Nobody in that loop has a personality flaw. The loop is producing the behaviour.”
As Florence Divet ☀️ concludes, the focus should shift from trying to change the person to altering the interplay between the individual, the situation, and the team. By asking “What pattern are we actually seeing?” instead of relying on labels, leaders can foster an environment where individuals are given the opportunity to demonstrate capability and grow.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Florence Divet ☀️ on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on August 11, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →