The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

By: Barry Carney, Allison Plattsmier, Mark Sanford, and Valisa Thompson

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Dysfunction 1: Absence of Trust

• Conceal their weaknesses and mistakes from one another
• Hesitate to ask for help or provide constructive feedback
• Jump to conclusions about the intentions and aptitudes of others without attempting to clarify them
• Fail to recognize and tap into one another’s skills and experiences
• Waste time and energy managing their behaviors for effect
• Hold grudges

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5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict

• Have boring meetings
• Create environment where back-channel politics and personal attacks thrive
• Ignore controversial topics that are critical to team success
• Fail to tap into all the opinions and perspectives of team members
• Waste time and energy with posturing and interpersonal risk management

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5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment

• Creates ambiguity among the team about direction and priorities
• Watches windows of opportunity close due to excessive analysis and unnecessary delay
• Breeds lack of confidence and fear of failure
• Revisits discussions and decisions again and again
• Encourages second-guessing among team members

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5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability

• Creates resentment among team members who have different standards of performance
• Encourages mediocrity
• Misses deadlines and key deliverables
• Places an undue burden on the team leader as the sole source of discipline

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5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results

• Stagnates/fails to grow
• Rarely defeats competitors
• Loses achievement -oriented employees
• Encourages team members to focus on their own careers and individual goals
• Is easily distracted

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Role of a Leader

Developing Vulnerability Based Trust

1. Demonstrate Vulnerability
2. Create an atmosphere where vulnerability is rewarded
3. Be Genuine

Role of a Leader

Developing Productive Ideological Conflict

1. Promote healthy conflict
2. Demonstrate restraint, allowing conflict resolution to occur naturally
3. Model appropriate conflict behavior

Role of a Leader

Developing a Commitment to Decisions

1. Be comfortable with making decisions
2. Push the group for closure on issues
3. Adhere to schedules set by the team
4. Cannot overemphasize certainty or consensus

Role of a Leader

Developing Accountability

1. Set clearly defined expectations for each team member
2. Encourage team members to hold each other accountable
3. Create a culture of accountability
4. Be willing to serve as the ultimate arbiter when necessary

Role of a Leader

Developing a Focus on the Achievement of Collective Results

1. Set the tone for a focus on results
2. Be selfless and objective
3. Reserve rewards and recognition for those who make real contributions towards collective goals

Trust Within an Organization

• The fear of being vulnerable with team members can prevent the building of trust within the team and organization.
• However, organizations can flourish when team members are comfortable asking for help, admitting mistakes and limitations and take risks offering feedback.

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Fear of Conflict within an Organization

• The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive ideological conflict
• A group that can tap into one another's skills and experiences and use those to advance the team will be more productive than groups who are more concerned with avoiding conflict.

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Lack of Commitment within an Organization

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• The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to.
• Groups that have bought in to an idea or leadership avoid wasting time talking about the wrong issues and revisiting the same topics over and over again because of lack of buy-in.

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Accountability within an Organization

• The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable.
• This is more than just accountability between employee and employer, but also accountability between team members.
• Accountability can bring about discomfort but it can also bring about higher productivity and greater team chemistry.

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Results Oriented within an Organization

• Inattention to results, as far as the organization is concerned, can be defined as the pursuit of individual goals and personal status rather than organizational goals.
• This erodes the focus on collective success and places it on the individual.
• Aligning the team around common objectives not only aids in achieving team or organizational goals but it also helps in retaining star employees.

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References

Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.