The Five

Dysfunctions
of a Team
“Not Finance. Not Strategy. Not
Technology. It is teamwork that
remains the ultimate
competitive advantage , both
because it is powerful and so
rare.”
PATRICK LENCIONI, AUTHOR OF SILOS, POLITICS AND
TURF WARS
TEAM
ASSESSMENT
Instructions: Use the scale below to indicate how each of
the statement applies to your team. It is important to
evaluate the statements honestly and without
overthinking your answers

3 = Usually 2 = Sometimes 1 = Rarely

1. Team members are passionate and unguarded in their discussion of issues.

2. Team members call out one another's deficiencies or unproductive behaviors.
3. Team members know what their peers are working on and how they contribute to the
collective good of the team.
4. Team members quickly and genuinely apologize to one another when they say or do
something inappropriate or possibly damaging to the team.
5. Team members willingly make sacrifices (such as budget, turf, head count) in their
departments or areas of expertise for the good of the team.
Instructions: Use the scale below to indicate how each of
the statement applies to your team. It is important to
evaluate the statements honestly and without
overthinking your answers

3 = Usually 2 = Sometimes 1 = Rarely

6. Team members openly admit their weaknesses and mistakes.

7. Team meetings are compelling, and not boring.
8. Team members leave meetings confident that their peers are completely
committed to the decisions that were agreed on, even if there was initial
disagreement.
9. Morale is significantly affected by the failure to achieve team goals.
10.During team meetings, the most important-and difficult issues are put on the table
to be re- solved.
Instructions: Use the scale below to indicate how each of
the statement applies to your team. It is important to
evaluate the statements honestly and without
overthinking your answers

3 = Usually 2 = Sometimes 1 = Rarely

11.Team members are deeply concerned about the prospect of letting down their peers.
12.Team members know about one another's personal lives and are comfortable
discussing them.
13.Team members end discussions with clear and specific resolutions and calls to action.
14.Team members challenge one another about their plans and approaches.
15.Team members are slow to seek credit for their own contributions, but quick to point
out those of others.
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

1 2 3 4 5
Statement 4 Statement 1 Statement 3 Statement 2 Statement 5
Statement 6 Statement 7 Statement 8 Statement 11 Statement 9
Statement 12 Statement 10 Statement 13 Statement 14 Statement 15
Objectives
Objectives
1. Understand the five dysfunctions that are
natural but dangerous pitfalls
2. Know the ways to avoid the five dysfunctions.
A Simulation Game
SURVIVAL
You and your companions have just survived the crash of a small
plane. Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. It is
mid-January , and you are in Northern Canada. The daily
temperature is 25 below zero, and the night time temperature is
40 below zero. There is snow on the ground and the countryside
is wooded with several creeks crisscrossing the area. The
nearest town is 20 miles away. You are all dressed in city
clothes appropriate for a business meeting. Your group of
survivors managed to salvage the following items:
List items in order
A ball of steel wool Extra shirt and pants for each survivor

A small ax 20 x 20 ft. piece of heavy-duty canvas

A loaded .45-caliber pistol A sectional air map made of plastic

Can of Crisco shortening One quart of 100-proof whiskey

Newspapers (one per person) A compass

Cigarette lighter (without fluid) Family-size chocolate bars (one per person)

Your task as a group is to list the above 12 items in order of

importance for your survival. List the uses for each. You MUST
come to agreement as a group.
Question
How many participants avoided
conflict or changed their minds simply
to come to agreement?
How many participants just sat there
and let others do the work?
How many felt this?
#1 Absence of Trust
#2 Fear of Conflict
#3 Lack of Commitment
#4 Avoiding Accountability
#5 Inattention to Results
What Does “Team” Mean?

Discuss and write down how your group defines “team.”

_______________________________________________________
_
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
________________________________________
What Does “Team” Mean?
Easier said than done

Always present in a successful organization

Always lacking in organizations that fail

Leadership and Teamwork are the two most sought after qualities
today

Saying you are a team does not make you a healthy, highly
functioning unit
The Five Dysfunctions
#1 Absence of Trust
#2 Fear of Conflict
#3 Lack of Commitment
#4 Avoiding Accountability
#5 Inattention to Results
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is

1 not a problem of your team

Statement 4 A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a

problem
Statement 6
Statement 12 A score of 3 to 5 is an indication that the dysfunction needs to be
addressed
1. Absence of Trust

What are the problems caused by lack of trust on the team?

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________
#1 Absence of Trust
Trust has been a much misused term nowadays

In the concept of Team, Trust goes beyond its standard meaning. It not just about being
able to predict a person’s behavior based on past experiences.

Trust in teams is based on Vulnerability. It is having that confidence that your peer’s
intentions are good, and there is no reason to be protective or careful around the
group. That their vulnerability will not be used against them.

Not genuinely open to one another about their mistakes and weaknesses make it
impossible to build the foundation of trust.

Teams begin to act without concern for protecting themselves. They focus their energy
to the tasks at hand and rather being strategic or political with one another.
#1 Absence of Trust – The Cost
Teams lack trust waste inordinate amounts of time and energy managing their
behaviors and interactions within the group

Tends to dread team meetings

Reluctant to take risks in asking or offering assistance to others.

Hesitate to extend help beyond their areas of responsibilities

Jump to conclusions

AS A RESULT, MORALE ON DISTRUSTING TEAMS IS USUALLY LOW AND UNWANTED

TURNOVER IS HIGH.
#1 Absence of Trust –
Overcoming
In Five to Ten minutes, ask from your teams the following questions:

1. Number of Siblings

2. Hometown / Birthplace

3. Unique memories of Childhood

4. Favorite Hobbies

5. Why did you pursue a position in SSLG?

#1 Absence of Trust –
Overcoming
Other Exercises prescribed on a regular basis to build trust:

1. Team Effectiveness Exercise

2. Personality and Behavioral Preference Profiles

3. 360 Degree Feedback

4. Experiential Team Exercises

#1 Absence of Trust – The Role
of The Leader
1. DEMONSTRATE VULNERABILITY FIRST!

2. Create an environment where Vulnerability is not being punished

3. Leader must be genuine, not staged

 Inattent
ion to
Results
Avoidance
of
Accountabi
lity

Lack of
Commitment

Fear of Conflict

Absence of
Invulnerability
Trust
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is

2 not a problem of your team

Statement 1 A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a

problem
Statement 7
Statement 10 A score of 3 to 5 is an indication that the dysfunction needs to be
addressed
#2 Fear of Conflict

How can Dysfunction 1 connect to Dysfunction 2?

#2 Fear of Conflict
Conflict is often considered as Taboo for each teams

Productive Ideological conflict is needed for teams, not the destructive fighting and
interpersonal politics. Positive Conflict is based on passionate, unfiltered debate around
issues of importance to the team.

It may sometimes cost passion, emotion, and frustration to burn and from an outsider,
may seem an unproductive discord.

Productive conflict produce the best possible solution. Emerges from heated debates with
no residual feelings or collateral damage

Teams who do not engage in productive conflict, creates conflict themselves.

Avoiding conflict is not a TIME SAVER.

#2 Fear of Conflict
Teams that fear conflict: Teams that engage in productive
conflict:
1. Have boring meetings
1. Have lively, interesting meetings
2. Create environments where back
channel politics and personal 2. Extract ideas from the team
attacks thrive
3. Solve problems quickly
3. Ignore controversial topics that
4. Put critical topics on the table for
are critical to team’s success
discussion
4. Fail to tap into the opinions and
perspectives of other members
Relationship Between Level of
Conflict and Level of Performance
#2 Fear of Conflict– Overcoming
1. Acknowledge that conflict is productive.

2. Mining – assume the role of “miner of conflict”

3. Real time Permission – Interrupt and Remind real time as to what is the
purpose of the conflict. At the end, remind how the conflict they just engaged
in is good for the team and not something to avoid in the future.

4. Personality and Behavioral Preference Profiles

#2 Fear of Conflict– Overcoming
1. Acknowledge that conflict is productive.

2. Mining – assume the role of “miner of conflict”

3. Real time Permission – Interrupt and Remind real time as to what is the
purpose of the conflict. At the end, remind how the conflict they just engaged
in is good for the team and not something to avoid in the future.

4. Personality and Behavioral Preference Profiles

Programmed Conflict
Devil’s advocacy Dialectic method
 process of assigning someone to play the  process of having two people or
role of critic to voice possible objections groups play opposing roles in a
to a proposal and thereby generate debate in order to better
critical thinking and reality testing understand a proposal
Five Conflict-Handling Styles
Avoiding - “Maybe the problem will go away”
Accommodating – “Let’s do it your way”
Forcing – “You have to do it my way”
Compromising – “Let’s split the difference”
Collaborating – “Let’s cooperate to reach a win-win solution that
benefits both of us”
Teams that engage in healthy
conflict…
Have lively interesting meetings

Put critical topics on the table for discussion

Tackle issues “head on”

Solve real problems quickly

Minimize politics
#2 Fear of Conflict– The Role of
the Leader
1. Acknowledge the Leader’s desire to protect the members from harm.
Demonstrate restraint

2. Leader should personally model the appropriate behavior

 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni
Inattent
ion to
Results
Avoidance
of
Accountabi
lity

Lack of
Commitment

Fear of
Conflict Artificial Harmony

Absence of Trust
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is

3 not a problem of your team

Statement 3 A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a

problem
Statement 8
Statement 13 A score of 3 to 5 is an indication that the dysfunction needs to be
addressed
#3 Fear of Conflict

How can Dysfunction 2 connect to Dysfunction 3?

#3 Lack of Commitment
What does lack of commitment look like:

1. “Fuzzy” goals, no clear direction

2. Revisit discussions and decisions over and over again

3. Encourages second guessing

#3 Lack of Commitment
Buy-in: the achievement of honest emotional support

Clarity: the removal of assumptions and ambiguity from a situation

Consensus –They understand that reasonable human beings do not need to get their way in order
to support a decision, they just need to know that their opinions matter, heard, and considered.

Certainty – great teams take pride on being able to unite behind decisions and commit to clear
courses of action.

In many cases, teams have all the information they need but it resides within their hearts and
minds and should be extracted through debates. Only when everyone has put their opinions on the
table can the team confidently commit to a decision knowing that it has tapped into collective
wisdom of the entire team.
Achieving Commitment

“Most people don’t really need to have their ideas adopted in order to buy into a
decision. They just want to have their ideas heard…”
#3 Lack of Commitment
A team that fails to commit… A Team that commits…

1. Creates ambiguity 1. Creates clarity

2. Watches windows of opportunity close 2. Aligns the entire team around

due to excessive analysis and common objectives
unnecessary delay (analysis paralysis)
3. Develops the ability to learn from
3. Breeds lack of confidence and fear of mistakes
failure
4. Take advantage of opportunities
4. Revisits discussion over and over before others do.
again
5. Changes direction without hesitation
5. Encourages second guessing or guilt.
#3 Lack of Commitment -
Overcoming
Cascading Messaging – At the end of meetings, teams should explicitly review the
key decisions made during the meeting and agree on what needs to be
communicated to fellow officers or other constituencies about the decision.

Deadlines

Contingency and Worst Case Scenario analysis

#3 Lack of Commitment – Role
of the Leader
Be comfortable of making decisions.

Constantly push the group for closure around issues, as well as adherence to
schedules set.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni
Inattent
ion to
Results
Avoidance
of
Accountabi
lity
Lack of
Commitmen Ambiguity
t
Fear of Conflict

Absence of Trust
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is

4 not a problem of your team

Statement 2 A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a

problem
Statement 11
Statement 14 A score of 3 to 5 is an indication that the dysfunction needs to be
addressed
#4 Avoidance of Accountability
How can Dysfunction 3 connect to Dysfunction 4?
#4 Avoidance of Accountability
Accountability: The willingness of team members to remind one another when
they are not living up to the performance standards of the group.

Human beings often choose a path of slow, uncomfortable decline rather than
risk a dramatic drop in morale caused by an ugly incident.

Peer pressure and the distaste for letting down a colleague will motivate a team
player more than any fear of authoritative punishment or rebuke.

Sometimes, teams who hold strong personal relationships make it harder to

commit to accountability.
#4 Avoidance of Accountability
A team that avoids accountability... A team that holds one another accountable...

1. Ensures that poor performers feel

1. Creates resentment among team
pressure to improve
members who have different
standards of performance 2. Identifies potential problems quickly by
questioning one another’s approaches
2. Encourages mediocrity Misses without hesitation
deadlines and key deliverables 3. Establishes respect among team
members who are held to the same high
3. Places an undue burden on the standards
team leader as the sole source of
4. Avoids excessive bureaucracy around
discipline performance management and corrective
action
#4 Avoidance of Accountability -
Overcoming
Publication of Goals and Standards

Simple and Regular Progress Reviews

Team Rewards
#4 Avoidance of Accountability –
The Role of the Leader
Leader must model holding others accountable

Behavior issues and not results

If the team members know the leader will eventually step in, they might as well
do it themselves

Natural to be hesitant about giving critical feedback

 Inattent
ion to
Results
Avoidance
of
Accountabil
Low Standards
ity

Lack of
Commitment

Fear of Conflict

Absence of Trust
 Now, combine your scores for the preceding statements
as indicated below:

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is

5 not a problem of your team

Statement 5 A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a

problem
Statement 9
Statement 15 A score of 3 to 5 is an indication that the dysfunction needs to be
addressed
#5 Inattention to Results
“The ultimate dysfunction of a team is the tendency of
member to care about something other than the
collective goals of the group.” (Lencioni, 2002)

Rarely defeats challenges

Encourages team members to focus on their own
careers and individual goals
#5 Inattention to Results
Win!
Retain achievement oriented members
Minimizes individualistic behavior
Learn to subjugate individual egos and agenda for the
good of the team
#5 Inattention to Results
Team Status – Others, being a member of the group is enough to
keep them satisfied. Plenty fall into the lure of status. Success is
merely being associated with their special organizations
Individual Status – Enhancing own positions at the expense of the
team.

Make sure to live and breathe the meaningful objectives of the team.
No amount of trust, conflict, commitment, or accountability can
compensate the lack of desire to win.
#5 Inattention to Results
A team that is not focused on results... A team that focuses on collective results...

1. Stagnates/fails to grow 1. Retains achievement-oriented

members
2. Rarely defeats challenges
2. Minimizes individualistic behavior
3. Loses achievement-oriented
3. Enjoys success and suffers failure
members acutely
4. Encourages team members to 4. Benefits from individuals who
focus on their own careers and subjugate their own goals/interests for
individual goals the good of the team

5. Is easily distracted 5. Avoids distractions

#5 Inattention to Results -
Overcoming
Define Success
Teams establish their own measurement of success.
Go public with the expected results
Set up a scoreboard (visual)
#5 Inattention to Results – The
Role of the Leader
Leaders should themselves be attentive to the results
Knows what success is and how to measure it
Selfless and Objective in determining the results.
 Inattent Status & Ego
ion to
Results
Avoidance
of Low Standards
Accountabi
lity

Lack of
Commitment Ambiguity

Fear of Conflict
Artificial Harmony

Absence of Trust

Invulnerability
"The man who gets the most satisfactory
results is not always the man with the most
brilliant single mind, but rather the man
who can best coordinate the brains and
talents of his associates."
W. Alton Jones

The reality maintains that teamwork ultimately comes down to practicing a small set of principles over a
long period of time. Success is not about mastering subtle, sophisticated theories but rather of embracing
common sense of uncommon levels of discipline and persistence.
Ironically, teams succeed because they are exceedingly human. By acknowledging the imperfections of
their humanity, members of functional teams overcome the natural tendencies that make trust, conflict,
commitment, accountability, and a focus on results so elusive.