Vibe Killers - The Four Horsemen of Dialogue Destruction

My Manager Coach

Have you ever thought someone "snapped out of nowhere" at work? In this episode, Jody explores how stacked stressors—like in horse behavior—mirror human dynamics in the workplace. Drawing from an unforgettable racetrack analogy, she introduces the Four Horsemen of Vibe Apocalypse: Criticism, Defensiveness, Stonewalling, and Contempt—behaviors that silently erode clarity, competency, and chemistry on your team.

You'll learn how to recognize early warning signs and apply practical antidotes from both Dr. John Gottman’s relationship research and Jazz Business Consulting's Deliberate Dialogues model. Jody challenges managers to become proactive vibe builders—because nothing truly comes “out of nowhere.”

Time Stamps:

[02:30] – Trigger stacking on the racetrack: What a panicked horse can teach us about hidden workplace tension.

[14:05] – The Four Horsemen explained: How criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, and contempt quietly dismantle team vibe.

[22:00] – Antidotes in action: Replace blame with ownership, and contempt with curiosity using JazzBC’s Deliberate Dialogues framework.

Key Concepts:

• Trigger Stacking: Minor tensions compound until a person emotionally “pulls back,” shuts down, or erupts.
• The Four Horsemen of Workplace Breakdown:
• Criticism – Global attacks on character
• Defensiveness – Shifting blame, blocking learning
• Stonewalling – Emotional disengagement
• Contempt – Sarcasm, eye-rolling, and assumed superiority
• Vibe Impact:
• Clarity dies when criticism confuses purpose.
• Competency fades when defensiveness blocks feedback.
• Chemistry erodes when contempt replaces connection.

Links:

Personal Vibe Assessment Take the Profile Here

For more information regarding The Organizational Vibe Assessment,

CLICK HERE