Book Notes : The Five Dysfunctions of a team

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The book presents a story which dives into a team and the problems with them working together towards a common goal.

5 dysfunctions of a team

Dysfunction 1 : Absence of Trust
When you have a group of people who feel that they have to be great to be in their role it is important that people can be open and honest, without this people hide mistakes and work for their own personal aims.

As a leader it is important to lead by example for people to be open and to share without fear of negative criticism or reprisal.

Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict
Where there is no trust there is no ability to have tough discussions and for people to actively come to the best decision for the organisation.

If you present an idea which you know is bad and no one challenges it then you know that people are not engaged or they fear an active discussion on topics.

Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment
Once there has been an active discussion and an outcome agreed then people need to commit to it and run with it. If this is not the case then people go against the decision intentionally and this can cause conflict elsewhere in the organisation as a result e.g. between teams from different departments.

There needs to be closure on issues. To focus the mind deadlines can be set and a formal review scheduled to reevaluate the decision.

Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Team Accountability
If there is a lack of commitment then there is a lack of holding people to the decision. This can result in poor performance and the leader becoming the sole source of discipline since no other people will hold people against the agreed decision. When accountability is in place then things are clear. can be reviewed and helps teams remain healthy.

Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Team Objectives
Care needs to be taken that it is not every person for themselves e.g. personal recognition etc. The team needs collective goals and team members need to be constantly striving for the achievement of the team. When the team is working well then team members will be glad to feel part of it and will be focused on delivering value.

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