For an MBA class that I’m taking I recently had the “opportunity” to read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – A Leadership Fable. This New York Times Best-Seller was a book I found very practical. The fable is set in very realistic settings; staff or team meetings. The issues are not clear cut (again realistic) and can easily favor one function or department over another. The team leader patiently takes them through a team building process.

In this fable Kathryn Petersen has been tapped as the new CEO of DecisionTech, Inc. This start-up company is well funded and well staffed with quality personnel, but for the past two years has been unable to produce meaningful results. As if that task wasn’t daunting enough, Kathryn has to deal with the complexity of working directly with the former CEO. He is now heading up business development and is an integral member of her team.

The book marches through the five dysfunctions of a team (graphically shown below) as they deal with various business issues:

The Five Dysfunctions Pyramid

Dysfunction 1: Absence of Trust

These quotes of Kathryn’s, the CEO, seemed to clearly define this dysfunction:

• “Trust is the foundation of real teamwork.”
• “Great teams do not hold back with one another.”
• “They (team members) admit their mistakes, their weaknesses and their concerns without fear of reprisal.”
• “I see a trust problem here in the lack of debate that exists during staff meetings and other interactions among this team.”

Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict

“If we don’t trust one another, then we aren’t going to engage in open, constructive, idealogical conflict.” Failure to do so results in:

• No collaborative solutions.
• Solutions that lack the input of all team members.
• A team with “artificial harmony” – skin deep team approval.

Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment

Essentially this is failure to buy in to decisions.

• Share Opinions: “It’s as simple as this. When people don’t unload their opinions and feel like they’ve been listened to, they won’t really get on board.” Weigh in before they buy in.
• True Consensus: “Consensus is horrible. I mean, if everyone really agrees on something and consensus comes about quickly and naturally, well that’s terrific. But that isn’t how it usually works, and so consensus becomes an attempt to please everyone.”

Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability

The pyramid continues to build on itself. There must be commitment before there can be accountability.

• “People aren’t going to hold each other accountable if they haven’t clearly bought in to the same plan.”

Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results

“Our job is to make the results that we need to achieve so clear to everyone in this room that no one would even consider doing something purely to enhance his or her individual status or ego. Because that would diminish our ability to achieve our collective goals. We would all lose.”

If there is going to be ego, it should be collective ego that is greater than the individual egos. Similarly, people are going to look out for their own interests. However, the team’s interests (results) should be more important than individual interests.

In summary, I would recommend this book to others. As a matter of fact I have purchased copies for my fellow team members. It is a very quick and easy read. Lencioni’s writing technique keeps your interest in the book, plus you end of with invaluable insight into the makings of a good and functional team.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download