Patrick M. Lencioni

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.

A Leadership Fable

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Pamela Geil

 It requires team members to make themselves vulnerable to one another, and be confident that their respective vulnerabilities will not be used against them. The vulnerabilities I'm referring to include weaknesses, skill deficiencies, interpersonal shortcomings, mistakes, and requests for heln

In the context of building a team, trust is the confidence among team members that their peers' intentions are good, and that there is no reason to be protective or careful around the group. In essence, teammates must get comfortable being vulnerable with one another.

how members of truly cohesive teams behave: 

1. They trust one another. 2. They engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas. 3. They commit to decisions and plans of action. 4. They hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans. 5. They focus on the achievement of collective results.

 "Trust is the foundation of real teamwork. And so the first dysfunction falure on the part of team members to understand and open up to one another”

The fact remains that teams, because they are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently dysfunctional.

Jeffrey Jose

The fable is nicely thought off and well written prose. I read it over a week because I could afford only half hour everyday with the book. The text was so compelling I found myself back everyday to read this book.

The book tells a story - where a newly appointed CEO Kathryn has to turn around a dysfunctional executive team. She takes herteam out for an offsite retreat and tries to pull them back together by calling out the 5 causes of dysfunctionality that existed in the team.

The fable is followed by a discussion, which frankly I didnt care of. The fable follows Kathryn's thoughts, her words and her interactions. I'd read it again just for that.

Anthony

I enjoyed the book. There were a lot of good insights and I did like how there was one story that carried throughout and demonstrated each dysfunction. Normally books like these would have a bunch of anecdotal stories for each dysfunction but I think it was a little more fun this way.

My biggest critique is that this story that weaves through the dysfunctions was mostly unnecessary. This book could easily be reduced down to a very good article.

If you’re short for time, just read the back summary! ;)

Absolutely amazing book. Kathryn is my role model leader now. Love how light the book is and the story telling way, yet still very insightful and actionable. Highly recommended for new leaders.

Ahmed Kamal Ali

Patrick Lencioni

Scott Wilson

This book has been sitting by my bedside for almost two years and on my must read list. So when I finally sat down over the Easter Weekend and read this book - followed by Lencioni’s follow-up book (written 14 years later I believe) I was blown away!

I strongly recommend that you read “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable“ and the follow-up book “The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues” one after the other.

Patrick Lencioni’s fables are fabulously crafted and help to bring the reader directly into the mindset of two leaders facing conundrums - how do I turn a company’s culture around to recognize the power of effective teams. 

The fables are easily to visualize within your imagination., and you will likely find many of Patrick’s characters familiar from your own career!

Patrick’s first book highlights why teams often fail - and then shows how through strong but loving leadership Kathryn, the CEO starts to move her executive team into one powerful unit. All team members are absolutely focused on a common goal; with no time for “look at me - I am more important” or “my project is more important than your project” egos; and where team members hold each other accountable for meeting their stated responsibilities, function and outcomes.

The second book’s fable follows Jeff, a character from the first book, as he finds himself suddenly thrust into the CEO’s role - and with his HR and Operations manager through trial and error (and some excellent background research) discover the three key traits that each team member MUST have.

Both books show the important impact that each person must play in effecting the change necessary to turn their part of a company or organization into a team-based group.

Leaders must show the same three traits as their team members; and walk the talk through: encouraging the growth of each of the three traits in their direct reports; hiring individual who show the three traits; and making it extremely uncomfortable for individuals on the team who aren’t prepared to change their weaknesses.

I hope that you read these two books together and that you find them as fun and informative as I did.

Best wishes to all of you who want to help lead your teams effectively or work in an organization where these traits are embraced!

Neil Murray

Danté

A useful explanation of typical pitfalls for a team, explained using novel format.

Key takeaways
- trust as bedrock for a team to function well
- use team off-sites to improve team functioning
- be willing to change reporting structure (e.g. making executive board smaller & have board buy into the idea)

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team:
1. Absence of trust. Unwillingness to be vulnerable within the group.
- Overcome with: Personal Histories Exercise, Team Effectiveness Exercise (each person identifies most NB contribution that each of their peers makes to team plus area they need to improve/eliminate for good of team, Personality profiles, Feedback
- Role of the Leader: genuinely demonstrate vulnerability first to create a safe space.

2. Fear of conflict (artificial harmony). Not having passionate debate of ideas.
- Overcome with: Assigning someone to be the "miner" of buried disagreements to shed light on them, Real time permission: reminding team that the conflict is necessary
- Role of the Leader: modulate but don't avoid conflict.

3. Lack of commitment (a failure to buy into decisions / the goal). This is why constructive conflict is NB: to ensure everyone feels they have been heard; otherwise they won't get on board.
- Risks: consensus seeking (rather acknowledge that complete agreement not always possible and avoid decision by committee), certainty (go all out rather than waffle)
- Overcome with: cascading messaging (to other team members about what was decided), deadlines to make a decision 
- Role of the Leader: constantly push group to reach closure on issues. Be comfortable with making decisions in uncertain conditions.

4. Avoidance of accountability (not calling others out when they under-perform relative to the goal).
- Overcome with: publication of goals and standards, publication of goals and standards, team (rather than individual) rewards.
- Role of the Leader: allow the team to serve as the first and primary accountability mechanism. When this fails, be the arbiter of discipline (buck stops with the leader, not with consensus).

5. Inattention to results / the goal. Seeking individual attention at the expense of results (rather than making collective ego greater than individual ego/status)
- Overcome with: Public declaration of results
- The Role of the Leader: reserve rewards and recognition for those who make real contributions to achieving group goals. Focus on results otherwise team members will focus on other things.

Todd Luallen

Probably one of the best management books I've read. Lencioni has a way of really making a rather dry subject (management style/philosophy), quite enjoyable to read. The use of fictional characters and events as an example is perfect for the topic and helps with recollection as well. I highly recommend, although I don't know how much of it applies to small business or retail management.

A workbook to accompany The five dysfunctions of a team.

Intact Teams Participant Workbook

Zoe Smolen

I read this for a team retreat and though I thought it was a little cheesy at first, I actually enjoyed it and feel as if I took a lot out of it.

Daryl Houston

This is a very short read that mostly states the sort of obvious thing (e.g. trust is the foundation of high functioning teams) that it's easy to not have front-of-mind when just trying to get the day-to-day stuff done. I took away no earth-shattering insights but found the book somewhat useful (if only because it got me thinking about stuff abstractly that I don't often have front-of-mind) and pretty palatable. The fable was a little annoying in how it portrayed corporate stereotypes, and it was a little patronizing, but I've read worse.

Brook

Learned a bit more about teams

My boss asked me to read this and I was very skeptical, because I've generally found business books to be trite. This one was a little silly but I think it made great points at times, and seemed to really get at many of the problems I've seen my teams face. I hope reading it leads to positive changes.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team A Leadership Fable

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