5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

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A Leadership Fable

Patrick Lencioni

Published by Jossey-Bass

ISBN: 0-7879-6075-6

Reviewed by Susan Williams

Introduction

Team builders will, at one time or another, face the challenge of fostering harmony in groups, where there are

inevitably going to be flaws. According to author Patrick Lencioni, human beings are inherently dysfunctional.

Too often, leaders try to unite dysfunctional teams. Therefore, team builders must recognize and drive groups to overcome

certain behavioral tendencies, many of which are negative and can bring down an entire organization.

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni uses a novel-style, dialogue-based form of telling stories about the

five dysfunctions that can deteriorate any team. In any organization, cohesive teamwork results in competitive advantage,

as it can do what individuals can rarely do alone. Good teamwork can lead to domination in any field. This book tells

a story about how and why a corporate executive team overcame its dysfunctions.

The Five

Dysfunctions

of a Team

Patrick LencioniThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Page 2

PART I: THE FABLE

Fictional startup company DecisionTech, located

within the technology area outside of San Francisco,

began its first few euphoric months reaping the rewards

of a successful business. The young company enjoyed an

expensive, savvy, and skilled executive team with a strong

business plan.

After two years, the company began to run into trouble.

Deadlines were missed, company morale disintegrated,

key employees began to leave the company, and the firm

became known as one of the most political, backstabbing,

and unpleasant places to work in its industry.

Jeff Shanley, current CEO and co-founder, accepted a

demotion after the board began to see deterioration in group

unity, commitment, and camaraderie. Jeff was replaced by

a woman who caused initial skepticism and uncertainty.

Kathryn Petersen, a 57-year old woman in her

retirement had no real high-tech experience, mostly

serving in operational positions as a “blue-collar”

executive. After a career in the military and raising a

family, she studied business in a non-prestigious night

school, which was not impressive on paper. Employees

did not feel she was a cultural fit, but rather old school and

inexperienced. One person, the Chairman of the Board,

believed in her, however, and knew DecisionTech was in

dire straits. The Chairman decided to hire Kathryn to clean

up a messy situation, with confidence that she could build

a high-achieving team.

Underachievement

Kathryn spent her first two weeks walking the halls,

speaking with staff members, and silently observing

meetings. She could see her challenge was to manage

what was clearly a dysfunctional executive team. Kathryn

sensed an underlying tension in meetings, resulting in lack

Key Concepts

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team:

1. Absence of Trust stems from an unwillingness

to be vulnerable within a group. When team

members are not genuinely open with one

another, it is impossible to build trust. Absence

of trust wastes significant amounts of time and

energy managing group behaviors and

interactions.

2. Fear of Conflict emerges when there is no

trust, because people will then be unable

to engage in honest and passionate debate

of ideas. Failure to vent relevant frustrations

and argue intelligently results in guarded

comments and unproductive discussions.

Those who want to avoid hurting other team

members’ feelings tend to encourage

hazardous tension.

3. Lack of Commitment prevents group

members from buying into decisions, because

they have failed at open debate and

consideration of individual ideas, sometimes

feigning agreement in front of others. This

artificial harmony prevents decision-making and

the establishment of common goals.

4. Avoidance of Accountability means even the

most driven individuals will not call on their

peers on behaviors or actions that are not

for the good of the team. Lack of commitment

encourages lack of accountability and results in

attention focused on areas other than

performance results.

5. Inattention to Results occurs when people

put their own needs before those of the

company, whether that is career status,

recognition, or ego. An unrelenting focus

on common goals is a requirement for any

team judging itself on performance.

* * *

Information about the author and subject:

www.tablegroup.com

Information about this book and other business titles:

www.josseybass.com

The Staff:

Kathryn – CEO

Jeff – Business Development

Mikey – Marketing

Martin – Chief Technologist

JR – Sales

Carlos – Customer Support

Jan – Chief Financial Officer

Nick – Chief Operations Officer

Patrick LencioniThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Page 3

of decision making, slow and unstructured discussions, and

little progress forward.

Jeff, by this time, head of business development, ran

on-time meetings with a published agenda, and detailed

minutes. The meetings always

ended at a specified time. He did

not seem to notice that nothing

came out of these meetings.

In addition to business development, marketing

played a key role at DecisionTech. Michele Bebe, known

as Mikey, headed up the marketing function and had been

hired due to her reputation in the industry as a brand-

building genius. However, she lacked social tact and

displayed a passive-aggressive demeanor with colleagues

at meetings, becoming one of the least popular staff

members.

Martin Gilmore, one of the founders of

DecisionTech, and the closest the company had to an

inventor, not only claimed to have the most technology

expertise in the industry, but he actually did, and was

considered the company’s key competitive advantage.

However, Martin generally did not participate in

meetings, and if he did, he remained distracted by

emails on his open laptop computer. Over time, Martin’s

attitudes and usual sarcastic comments frustrated the

staff.

Jeff Rawlins, or JR, was in charge of sales at

DecisionTech. He was an older, courteous, and experienced

professional. Unfortunately, JR rarely followed through

in his tasks. However, because of his strong track record,

he remained respected by the staff.

Early on, the company decided it needed to invest in

customer support, so Mikey brought Carlos Amador into

the firm, who had a vastly different working style from JR.

He was a trustworthy worker, a good listener, and was able

to take the initiative and manage product quality.

Jan Mersino joined the company to serve in chief

financial officer role, supporting Jeff in raising a

significant amount of money from venture capitalists and

other investors. Jan was extremely detail-oriented and did

not let things get out of control, partly because she treated

the company’s money as if it were her own.

The final executive staff member was the chief

operating officer, Nick Farrell. Nick had been hired

to spur growth, develop an operational infrastructure,

establish offices around the world, and lead DecisionTech’s

acquisition and integration efforts. But due to the

ill-defined role he had, most of his responsibilities were

on hold, giving Nick little meaningful day-to-day work.

He also considered his colleagues inferior to him and felt

he was the only executive at DecisionTech qualified to be

CEO.

PART II: LIGHTING THE FIRE

One of Kathryn’s first accomplishments was to

organize an off-site retreat. Her priority was for the staff

to become closer as a team in order to achieve success.

However, her chief technologist, Martin, proceeded to

schedule a potential-customer meeting to take place during

her retreat. Kathryn explained to him that he would need

to push his appointment back a few days due to the retreat.

With his hackles up, Martin told Kathryn he didn’t think

she understood the importance of this potential sales

opportunity. She interrupted him and said she’d see him at

the retreat and offered to help him reschedule his meeting

as necessary.

“Though open hostility was never really apparent and no one ever

seemed to argue, an underlying tension was undeniable”.

About the Author

Patrick Lencioni is president of The Table Group,

a San Francisco Bay Area management consulting

firm, and author of the best-selling books, The Four

Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive and The

Five Temptations of a CEO. In addition to his work

as an executive coach and consultant, Pat is a

sought-after speaker. Prior to founding The Table

Group, he worked at the management consulting

firm Bain & Company, Oracle Corporation,

and Sybase, where he was vice president of

organizational development. He is on numerous

advisory boards and sits on the National Board

of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of

America. Over the years, Pat has worked with

hundreds of executive teams and CEOs – all

struggling, at one time or another, with the potential

for dysfunction among their teams.

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FAQs of 5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

What are the five dysfunctions of a team according to Lencioni?

Patrick Lencioni identifies five dysfunctions that hinder team effectiveness: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. Absence of trust occurs when team members are unwilling to be vulnerable with one another. Fear of conflict arises when there is no trust, leading to guarded discussions. Lack of commitment happens when team members fail to buy into decisions due to unresolved conflicts. Avoidance of accountability occurs when individuals do not hold each other responsible for their actions. Finally, inattention to results happens when team members prioritize personal success over collective goals.

How does Lencioni suggest teams can overcome dysfunctions?

Lencioni emphasizes the importance of building trust as the foundation for overcoming team dysfunctions. He suggests that leaders should encourage open communication and vulnerability among team members to foster trust. Engaging in healthy conflict is also crucial, as it allows for the exploration of diverse ideas and perspectives. Commitment can be achieved by ensuring that all team members feel heard during discussions. Accountability is reinforced through clear expectations and mutual support, while maintaining a focus on collective results helps to align individual efforts with team goals.

What is the setting of the story in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team?

The narrative of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is set in a fictional startup company called DecisionTech, located in the technology hub outside San Francisco. The story follows the challenges faced by the executive team as they struggle with internal dysfunctions that lead to missed deadlines, low morale, and high employee turnover. The arrival of a new CEO, Kathryn Petersen, sets the stage for addressing these dysfunctions. Through her leadership, the team embarks on a journey to improve collaboration and performance, making the setting a critical backdrop for the lessons learned.

Who is the main character in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team?

The main character in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is Kathryn Petersen, the newly appointed CEO of DecisionTech. Kathryn is portrayed as a seasoned leader with a military background and a pragmatic approach to management. Her character is central to the narrative as she navigates the complexities of a dysfunctional executive team. Through her efforts to foster trust and open communication, Kathryn embodies the principles Lencioni advocates for effective teamwork. Her journey illustrates the challenges and triumphs of leading a team towards greater cohesion and success.

5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

Key Points

FAQs of 5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

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