Introduction
Tribal thinking is one of the most subtle yet pervasive forces in modern organizations. While companies often celebrate inclusivity and collaboration, people still tend to form “us versus them” groups—whether across departments, teams, or even office locations. This dynamic may seem harmless at first, but left unchecked, it can create mistrust, reinforce stereotypes, and weaken organizational cohesion.
How Tribal Thinking Shows Up at Work
In today’s digital workplace, tribal thinking can be seen in the creation of group-specific Slack channels, messaging chats, or even informal social gatherings. These spaces often reflect natural bonds, such as people working in the same city or country. But over time, they can also create divisions.
Aronson (2018) explains this through the concept of priming—the way early information shapes later perceptions. For example, if an employee hears, “The Mexico team loves to party,” they may unconsciously associate this with laziness. The result? Hesitancy to trust the Mexico team with high-stakes projects, even when there is no evidence to justify such a belief.
The same process plays out between departments. Analytics teams may assume that marketing professionals “aren’t good at math,” while marketing may see analytics as “too technical to understand customer emotions.” These assumptions are based on schemas—mental shortcuts—that reinforce division rather than collaboration.
Why It Matters
Tribal thinking isn’t just about workplace cliques—it affects trust, decision-making, and performance. When stereotypes dictate how work is distributed, organizations risk overlooking talent, weakening morale, and stifling innovation. What starts as casual chatter in Slack can silently evolve into systemic bias.
Strategies to Break the Cycle
- Cross-Team Building Activities
Randomly mix employees from different teams, departments, or regions in team-building exercises. These intentional intersections disrupt old patterns and foster fresh, collaborative relationships. When people get to know each other outside of their “tribe,” trust and respect grow. - Focus on Positive Last Impressions
Daniel Kahneman’s (2011) concept of the remembering self shows that people judge experiences based on how they end. This means that ensuring cross-team interactions finish on a positive note—whether through recognition, gratitude, or successful collaboration—can reshape existing schemas. Positive endings plant new memories that are more likely to override old stereotypes. - Reframe Success Stories
Publicly highlight examples of effective cross-team collaboration. When one “tribe” succeeds with another, amplify the story so it becomes part of the organization’s collective narrative.
Conclusion
Tribal thinking may be deeply ingrained, but it is not inevitable. By recognizing how priming and schemas shape our assumptions, leaders can actively work to disrupt biases and foster genuine inclusion. Creating intentional opportunities for collaboration, and focusing on how experiences end, helps employees form positive memories that reshape organizational culture.
Breaking down tribes is not about erasing identities—it’s about weaving them together into a stronger, more united whole.
