For this group, the chief's explicit rule about deadlines is their Late Status Quo. They don't necessarily enjoy the amount of work they had to do, but they know and understand what is expected of them. The team feels the pressure from the chief's rule about deadlines and compensates accordingly. The pressure works for small problems. With a major problem, like the flu, the group cannot cope with the chief's expectations and a pattern of dysfunctional behavior starts.
Poor communication is a symptom of a dysfunctional group.
Members use blaming, placating, and other incongruent communication styles to cope with feelings like anger and guilt. Stress may lead to physical symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal pain that create an unexplainable increase in absenteeism. Caught in a web of dysfunctional concepts, the members whose opinions count the most are unaware of the imbalance between the group and its environment. New information and concepts from outside the group can open members up to the possibility of improvement. The group confronts a foreign element that requires a response.