The 5 dysfunctions of a team is a book written by Patrick Lencioni. The author brings out in depth analysis based on the study about the pitfalls the team faces when they grow together, explores the fundamental causes for organisational politics and team failures.

The 5 dysfunctions of a team

During discussions, brainstorming, meetings the team's important role is to discuss openly so that the discussion is healthy and fruitful. Conflict discussions without trust gets manipulative, resulting in unconstructive, unhealthy discussions. Trust between the teams will improve by sharing appreciations, sending a thank you note, sharing a critical feedback displays bold character. Preparing ourself to be uncomfortable, discussing a bad idea to see everyone agrees or avoid the conflict, team introspection will help in building trust and there by resolve fear of conflict.

#2 Fear of Conflict 

It is very important for a team to have clear goals, clarity on the key decisions and actions. Every discussion should have clear goals set, review the key decisions at end of the meeting and have the every individual to commit to the actions agreed upon. People should weigh in their opinion and improve on their commitment. Commitment to the decisions are achieved when the conflicts are healthy within the team

#3 :Lack of Commitment

Suggested team activity to practice accountabilityTeam effectiveness (360 deg feedback)<ul><li class="ql-indent-1"> Understand the behaviour, habits that make them great as a team</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Top one or two things that hurts in the team</li><li class="ql-indent-1">One thing they can do it differently to improve</li></ul>Every team member commits to an action before they complete this activity. (creating accountability)

Every individual in the team is unique with their  own strengths, weakness, interests, culture, skills and capabilities. Together its more important for a team to be productive and happy with a collective goal in mind.

Team's collective goals are key for success of the business. When the teams have build good trust, healthy conflict, stand by their commitment, be accountable for their actions and are recognized within their organisation with rewards/others, teams are naturally inclined to stand by their collective goals, stay focused and be resilient.

#5: Inattention to results

Lets break the walls to build in a good synergy with the team. As a leader you would enjoy working with the team, feel accomplished for your teams success and happiness and of course for your business goals as well.

Do your team members openly and readily disclose their opinions? : Reflects how vulnerable the team is and the trust between the team membersAre your team meetings compelling and productive? : Reflects conflict managementDoes your team come to decisions quickly and avoid getting bogged down by consensus? Reflects the team's commitmentDo your team members confront one another about their shortcomings? Reflects the behaviour of accountabilityDo your team members sacrifice their own interests for the good of the team? Reflects contribution towards team's result and effectiveness

 Author starts asking these 5 questions about every team before we look into the dysfunctions

Suggested team activity<ul><li>Team introduction : Share name, details about family, geography, culture, memories of childhood, challenges, etc</li><li>Personality based tools</li></ul>These activity helps build team dynamics, create empathyOnce the trust is build part of the culture, rest assured on the foundation of the pyramid.

If there are disagreements during the discussion, instead of pushing it as offline discussion, encourage the team to discuss by interrupting them. This opens up the world of different perspectives both for the leader and the team to understand

The five dysfunctions are stacked in a pyramid and are hierarchical, much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Without building a strong foundation on the bottom, there is no achieving the higher level goals.

Trust is one of the fundamental block to build a high performing team. Normally teams believe they can trust only if they know each others. The pace at which the teams are growing in every organisation, be it co-located or virtual, building trust becomes an integral part Author cites that vulnerability based trust is very important for a team where the team can raise their hand every time they need help, admit their weakness and limitations, own up the mistake. When you want to make something part of the culture, nuture the habit. The leader of the pack sets as an example, others will follow.

#1 : Absence of trust (Bottom most part of the pyramid)


Accountability becomes a collective behaviour of the team. When a team member does not commit to a clear plan of action, the peers hesitate to call on the actions which becomes counterproductive for the entire team. This behaviour pulls down the overall team's productivity and performance rather than being self disciplined team. Team members should challenge difficult issues to hold each others accountable. Clear protocols defined on team behaviour by the team themselves, regular introspection, appreciations would ensure the team stays healthy and accountable for their actions

#4: Avoidance of Team Accountability

Every individual in the team is unique with his/her own strengths, weakness, interest, culture and capabilities. Together its more important for a team to be productive and happy with a collective goal in mind

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams. Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

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The New York Times best-selling team leadership handbook for modern executives, managers, and organizations After her first two weeks observing the problems at DecisionTech, Kathryn Petersen, its new CEO, had more than a few moments when she wondered if she should have taken the job. But Kathryn knew there was little chance she would have turned it down. After all, retirement had made her antsy, and nothing excited her more than a challenge. What she could not have known when she accepted the job, however, was just how dysfunctional her team was, and how team members would challenge her in ways that no one ever had before. For twenty years, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has been engaging audiences with a page-turning, realistic fable that follows the travails of Kathryn Petersen, DecisionTech’s CEO, as she faces the ultimate leadership crisis. She must unite a team in such disarray that it threatens to derail the entire company. Equal parts leadership fable and business handbook, this definitive source on teamwork by Patrick Lencioni reveals the five behavioral tendencies that go to the heart of why even the best teams struggle. He offers a powerful model and step-by-step guide for overcoming those dysfunctions and getting every one rowing in the same direction. Today, the lessons in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team are more relevant than ever. This special anniversary edition celebrates one of the best-selling business books of all time with a new foreword from the author that reflects on its legacy and lessons.

Patrick M. Lencioni is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Patrick M. Lencioni has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Patrick M. Lencioni's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

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