Introduction

I think one of the most underestimated aspects of teamwork is understanding alliances and social dynamics inside organizations.

Especially in the IT industry where many people prefer thinking that workplaces operate purely through:

•  logic,

•  processes,

•  skills,

•  and technical decisions.

But honestly — every organization is also social environment.

And wherever people interact regularly, alliances naturally appear.

Interesting, right?

At first glance “alliances” may sound manipulative or political.

But I don’t think alliances themselves are inherently bad.

In fact, healthy alliances may create:

•  trust,

•  support,

•  collaboration,

•  knowledge sharing,

•  and emotional safety.

The important thing is understanding how these dynamics influence communication and decision making.

Humans naturally form groups

I think humans naturally search for:

•  belonging,

•  familiarity,

•  trust,

•  and emotional safety.

This happens everywhere:

•  schools,

•  friendships,

•  families,

•  sports teams,

•  and workplaces.

People often connect through:

•  similar personalities,

•  communication styles,

•  shared experiences,

•  interests,

•  values,

•  or simply spending time together.

And honestly — this is completely normal.

Problems usually begin when alliances become:

•  exclusionary,

•  emotionally immature,

•  manipulative,

•  or driven by ego and insecurity.

Healthy alliances

Not all alliances are unhealthy politics.

Actually many strong teams are built around healthy supportive relationships.

For example:

•  experienced engineer mentoring junior developer,

•  designer and developer collaborating deeply,

•  teammates supporting each other during stressful release,

•  people sharing knowledge openly,

•  managers protecting team from unnecessary chaos.

Interesting thing is that psychologically safe environment (where people can take interpersonal risks without punishment—see Edmondson)s often naturally create healthy alliances because trust develops organically.

And trust improves collaboration quality significantly.

Informal influence

One fascinating thing about organizations is that official hierarchy and real influence are not always the same.

Sometimes person with strongest influence is not:

•  manager,

•  director,

•  or team lead.

Influence may come from:

•  communication skills,

•  emotional intelligence,

•  expertise,

•  trust,

•  consistency,

•  charisma,

•  or social connections.

This creates invisible structures underneath official organization chart.

And honestly — emotionally intelligent people usually observe these dynamics naturally over time.

Alliances and psychological safety

I think alliances strongly influence psychological safety inside teams.

Healthy alliances may create:

•  support,

•  inclusion,

•  mentorship,

•  emotional stability,

•  and collaboration.

Unhealthy alliances may create:

•  gossip,

•  favoritism,

•  exclusion,

•  politics,

•  emotional tension,

•  or fear of speaking honestly.

Interesting thing is that people usually feel these dynamics quickly even if nobody talks about them openly.

Human nervous systems constantly observe social safety inside groups.

“Us vs them” mentality

One of the most destructive patterns inside organizations is strong “us vs them” mentality.

For example:

•  developers vs management,

•  product vs engineering,

•  seniors vs juniors,

•  headquarters vs remote employees,

•  one department vs another.

At first these divisions may appear subtle.

But over time they may slowly reduce:

•  empathy,

•  communication,

•  trust,

•  and collaboration quality.

People stop seeing each other as partners and begin seeing each other as opposing sides.

And honestly — this creates huge invisible emotional cost inside organizations.

Recognition and exclusion

Another difficult topic is exclusion.

Because alliances may unconsciously leave some people isolated.

Especially:

•  introverted people,

•  neurodivergent individuals,

•  newcomers,

•  remote workers,

•  or emotionally quieter personalities.

Interesting thing is that exclusion is not always intentional.

Sometimes people simply connect naturally with familiar personalities.

But emotionally mature teams try noticing when someone becomes disconnected from group dynamics.

Because isolation strongly affects:

•  confidence,

•  communication,

•  creativity,

•  and engagement.

Alliances under pressure

I think real quality of alliances becomes visible especially during stressful situations.

For example:

•  layoffs,

•  organizational chaos,

•  production failures,

•  conflicts,

•  leadership changes,

•  or uncertainty.

Healthy alliances often create:

•  support,

•  transparency,

•  emotional stability,

•  and teamwork.

Unhealthy alliances may become:

•  political,

•  defensive,

•  manipulative,

•  or focused on self-protection at cost of others.

Pressure reveals hidden dynamics very quickly.

Authenticity and alliances

Another interesting thing is relationship between authenticity and social dynamics.

People often feel pressure to:

•  adapt,

•  fit in,

•  hide differences,

•  or mirror dominant group behaviors.

And honestly — this may become emotionally exhausting over time.

Healthy teams create enough psychological safety for people to:

•  remain authentic,

•  express individuality,

•  disagree respectfully,

•  and participate without losing themselves socially.

Because strongest collaboration usually appears when people feel safe enough to contribute honestly.

Observation without cynicism

I think there is important balance here too.

Understanding alliances does not mean becoming paranoid or treating every interaction like political game.

Not every friendship inside company is manipulation.

Not every supportive relationship hides agenda.

Healthy observation should create clarity, not cynicism.

The goal is not:

"“Nobody can be trusted.”"

The goal is:

"“Organizations are human systems influenced by relationships, emotions, and social dynamics.”"

This creates more realistic understanding of teamwork.

Emotional intelligence again

I think emotional intelligence is deeply connected with recognizing alliances.

Emotionally intelligent people often notice:

•  who trusts whom,

•  who influences atmosphere,

•  who supports others,

•  who feels excluded,

•  and where tensions exist underneath communication.

Not to manipulate people.

But to understand environment more accurately.

Because social dynamics influence:

•  decision making,

•  communication,

•  trust,

•  leadership,

•  and emotional safety constantly.

Even in highly technical environments.

Final thoughts

I think recognizing alliances is one of the most valuable social skills in professional life.

Especially in industries where collaboration depends heavily on:

•  communication,

•  trust,

•  teamwork,

•  and emotional resilience.

Because organizations are not only systems of tasks and technologies.

They are also networks of human relationships.

And honestly — understanding these dynamics may improve:

•  leadership,

•  communication,

•  empathy,

•  collaboration,

•  and conflict resolution significantly.

Perhaps maturity is not about avoiding social dynamics completely.

Maybe it is about navigating them consciously while still remaining:

•  authentic,

•  fair,

•  emotionally intelligent,

•  and respectful toward others.

Because after all — behind every process, architecture, sprint, and meeting there are still people searching for trust, safety, and belonging.

Soft Skills series

Part 17 of 32. Read more on the Empatalk blog or take the Communication DNA survey at empatalk.app/survey.

Sources and further reading

•  McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J.M. (2001). Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual Review of Sociology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.415