5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

5 Dysfunctions Of A Team

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni explores the critical challenges that teams face in achieving cohesion and effectiveness. This leadership fable illustrates the five key dysfunctions: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. Through the story of a dysfunctional executive team at DecisionTech, Lencioni provides insights into overcoming these barriers to foster a high-performing team environment. Ideal for leaders, managers, and team members seeking to improve collaboration and productivity, this book serves as a practical guide to building strong teams. Published by Jossey-Bass, this influential work has become a staple in leadership training and development.

Key Points

  • Explores the five dysfunctions of teams: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.
  • Uses a fictional narrative about DecisionTech to illustrate how teams can overcome dysfunctions and improve performance.
  • Offers practical strategies for leaders to foster trust and open communication among team members.
  • Provides insights into the importance of accountability and shared goals for team success.
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Business Book Review™ Vol. 19, No. 42 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved
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A Leadership Fable
Patrick Lencioni
©2002 by 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
Volume 19, Number 42 • Copyright ©2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved
Patrick LencioniThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Page 2
Business Book Review™ Vol. 19, No. 42 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved
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
Business Book Review™ Vol. 19, No. 42 • Copyright © 2006 Business Book Review, LLC • All Rights Reserved
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.

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