The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 5:47PM One of the most important keys to success is having a highly functioning, cohesive and productive executive management team. Most organizations, however, plow forward with their underperforming, ineffective leadership teams, and consistently underachieve their expectations. Author, Patrick Lencioni, in his book entitled, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, does an excellent job of breaking down the 5 natural pitfalls of teamwork into the following areas:
- Absence of Trust
- Fear of Conflict
- Lack of Commitment
- Avoidance of Accountability
- Inattention to Results
Lencioni points out that these issues are not independent of each other, rather they are interrelated, and the susceptibility of even one of them can prove fatal for the success of the team. “Like a chain with just one link broken, teamwork deteriorates if even a single dysfunction is allowed to flourish.”
The management team is considered by investors, lenders, and potential buyers to be the most important asset in a company, and can have a direct impact on their decision-making. It would be in your best interest to have your team evaluated to determine if one or more of these dysfunctions exist within your team. It is quite possible that through analysis and coaching any of these dysfunctions can be readily corrected. Sea Level Advisors can assist you with this process, beginning with a simple diagnostic tool – a brief questionnaire that each of the team members would complete – which is designed to determine which, if any, of the five dysfunctions may be present in your organization. This will provide a focus on what area(s) need attention, where we can provide coaching and training to remove the dysfunction(s).
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