The Wolf Pack Brain at Work: Why Territoriality Derails Teams

In one of my recent coaching conversations, a leader described the entrenched behaviors on their team: gossiping, silos, and in-groups vs. out-groups. On the surface, it looked like toxicity. Underneath, it was something more primal—our wolf pack brain at work.

The wolf pack brain (AKA the limbic system) is constantly scanning for safety and belonging. It drives us to position ourselves in ways that help us survive in groups. And one of the predictable triggers it responds to? Territoriality.

When people feel like their turf is threatened—whether that’s their job role, their authority, or even their identity—the reaction can be swift and visceral.

A Primal Reaction

Years ago, I learned this lesson the hard way.

I was living in a ground-floor condo with my toddler when the upstairs unit was replacing windows. To my horror, workers were tossing aluminum frames off the third-floor balcony—right next to the main entrance.

If we were walking out the door - which usually meant my kiddo running out in front of me - she could have been struck by this metal. 

In that moment, my primitive brain took over. Heart racing, palms sweating, anger flooding in, I stormed upstairs and pounded on their door so hard I bruised my hand. One worker, young and defensive, wanted to argue. The older one quickly recognized the danger and de-escalated.

Looking back, I see how primal my reaction was. I was so out of control, I physically hurt myself. When our sense of safety—or our territory—feels threatened, our nervous system doesn’t ask us to pause and reflect. It demands action.

How This Plays Out in Organizations

This same dynamic unfolds in workplaces all the time.

When silos form, “this is my job, that’s your job” thinking takes root, and territoriality grows. Collaboration feels threatening because it challenges the familiar lines people rely on for safety. Even if those lines are dysfunctional, they feel less scary than something new.

The wolf pack brain doesn’t distinguish between physical danger and social danger.

Exclusion from the “pack” can feel just as threatening as a falling window frame. That’s why gossip spreads, factions form, and change feels so destabilizing.

The Trigger-Reaction Loop

Here’s what’s happening beneath the surface:

1. Trigger – A perceived threat (someone stepping into your role, questioning your authority, changing “your” process).

2. Physiological response – Racing heart, tight chest, sweaty palms, constricted throat.

3. Thoughts and stories – “They’re out to get me.” “I can’t trust them.” “I’ll lose my place here.”

4. Behavior – Defensiveness, withdrawal, gossip, or outright confrontation.

5. Cycle continues – Others respond with their own triggers, and the loop reinforces itself.

   
   

Breaking this cycle starts with awareness. Leaders must recognize these loops in themselves first before they can support others.

Reflective Prompts for Leaders

If you notice yourself getting swept into these dynamics, try reflecting with these prompts:

• What was the situation?

• What happened that shifted your feelings?

• What physical sensations did you notice in your body?

• What thoughts or stories arose?

• What was your knee-jerk reaction?

• How is this situation familiar from your past?

• What assumptions might you be making?

  
  

By slowing down and mapping the loop, you reclaim choice. You can respond differently, instead of reenacting the same patterns.

Leading Beyond the Wolf Pack Brain

Shifting out of territoriality doesn’t happen overnight. It requires creating new norms of safety and belonging—where collaboration feels secure instead of threatening. And acknowledging the difficult feelings that arise as a result of change. 

The wolf pack brain isn’t the enemy. It’s part of being human. As leaders, our job is to notice when it’s running the show—and to model new ways of working together that help everyone thrive. And show empathy and understanding to team members who exhibit territorial behaviors while stewarding change. 

Team members aren’t acting territorial to thwart you, they’re doing what’s familiar in a misguided attempt to protect themselves. A little understanding that change is scary and compassionate boundaries goes a long way to shifting the dominate dynamics to a more collaborative style. 

If you’ve found value in what I wrote here and you want to support me in continuing to create, guide, write, and make space for deeper transformation, I invite you to buy me a tea.

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