Read on Twitter
These 5 traits are holding your team back at work.
THREAD: How to identify and solve the 5 dysfunctions of a team:
THREAD: How to identify and solve the 5 dysfunctions of a team:
Background: Patrick Lencioni is a pioneer of the organizational health movement.
He has written 11 books and sold over 6 million copies.
One of his most famous books being: "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"
Here's what you need to know:
He has written 11 books and sold over 6 million copies.
One of his most famous books being: "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"
Here's what you need to know:
The 5 dysfunctions of a team are stacked in a hierarchical pyramid (from bottom to top):
(1) Absence of Trust
(2) Fear of Conflict
(3) Lack of Commitment
(4) Avoidance of Accountability
(5) Inattention to Results
(1) Absence of Trust
(2) Fear of Conflict
(3) Lack of Commitment
(4) Avoidance of Accountability
(5) Inattention to Results
Building a strong foundation at the bottom of the pyramid is crucial to supporting the higher-level traits.
So that's where we'll start and work our way up the pyramid
So that's where we'll start and work our way up the pyramid
(1) Absence of Trust:
It's hard to do anything productive if your team doesn't trust each other.
Signs that your team lacks trust:
Don't ask for help
Reluctant to be vulnerable
Unwilling to admit mistakes
Jump to conclusions about the intentions of others
It's hard to do anything productive if your team doesn't trust each other.
Signs that your team lacks trust:
Don't ask for help Reluctant to be vulnerable Unwilling to admit mistakes Jump to conclusions about the intentions of others
How to fix Absence of Trust:
Be the first to own up to a mistake
Admit your own weaknesses and limitations
Set a good example by asking your team members for help
Help team members focus on strengths instead of weaknesses
Be the first to own up to a mistake Admit your own weaknesses and limitations Set a good example by asking your team members for help Help team members focus on strengths instead of weaknesses
(2) Fear of Conflict:
Your team may trust each other, but do they embrace conflict?
Signs that your team is afraid of conflict:
Ignore controversial topics
Hesitate to voice opinions and concerns
Worry more about office politics and personal risk management
Your team may trust each other, but do they embrace conflict?
Signs that your team is afraid of conflict:
Ignore controversial topics Hesitate to voice opinions and concerns Worry more about office politics and personal risk management
How to fix Fear of Conflict:
Praise healthy examples of conflict
Define what healthy conflict looks like
Assign a "devil's advocate" in meetings
Give corrective feedback if conflict veers toward unhealthy
Praise healthy examples of conflict Define what healthy conflict looks like Assign a "devil's advocate" in meetings Give corrective feedback if conflict veers toward unhealthy
(3) Lack of Commitment:
If everyone doesn't buy-in, your team will be out of sync.
Signs that your team lacks commitment:
Fear of failure
Lack confidence
Environment of ambiguity & confusion
Spend too much time making decisions
If everyone doesn't buy-in, your team will be out of sync.
Signs that your team lacks commitment:
Fear of failure Lack confidence Environment of ambiguity & confusion Spend too much time making decisions
How to fix Lack of Commitment:
Define clear deadlines
Review key decisions at the end of meetings
Have a contingency plan. This forces your team to face potential pitfalls and fear of failure head-on.
Define clear deadlines Review key decisions at the end of meetings Have a contingency plan. This forces your team to face potential pitfalls and fear of failure head-on.
(4) Avoidance of Accountability:
Lack of accountability is a recipe for mediocrity.
Signs that your team avoids accountability:
Missed deadlines
Hesitate to call out peers on counterproductive behaviors
View corrective feedback as a personal attack
Lack of accountability is a recipe for mediocrity.
Signs that your team avoids accountability:
Missed deadlines Hesitate to call out peers on counterproductive behaviors View corrective feedback as a personal attack
How to fix Avoidance of Accountability:
Encourage peer feedback
Hold regular progress reviews
Set clear standards for performance
Reward team achievements (rather than individuals)
Encourage peer feedback Hold regular progress reviews Set clear standards for performance Reward team achievements (rather than individuals)
(5) Inattention to Results:
You can't have a high-performing team without the results to match.
Signs that your team has an inattention to results:
Distracted from collective goals easily
Too much concern over the pursuit of individual goals and status
You can't have a high-performing team without the results to match.
Signs that your team has an inattention to results:
Distracted from collective goals easily Too much concern over the pursuit of individual goals and status
How to fix Inattention to Results:
Clear team metrics to assess results
Give rewards when team goals are met (e.g. extra day off, bonuses, etc.)
If the team already knows how to keep each other accountable, they will push each other toward pursuing common goals.
Clear team metrics to assess results Give rewards when team goals are met (e.g. extra day off, bonuses, etc.)If the team already knows how to keep each other accountable, they will push each other toward pursuing common goals.
Now that you know the 5 dysfunctions of a team, here are 5 questions to ask yourself to get started:
(1) Do your team members openly and readily disclose their opinions?
(2) Are your team meetings compelling and productive?
(1) Do your team members openly and readily disclose their opinions?
(2) Are your team meetings compelling and productive?
(3) Does your team come to decisions quickly and avoid getting bogged down by consensus?
(4) Do your team members confront one another about their shortcomings?
(5) Do your team members sacrifice their interests for the good of the team?
(4) Do your team members confront one another about their shortcomings?
(5) Do your team members sacrifice their interests for the good of the team?
If you answered "yes" to all five questions, you must be doing a pretty good job!
If you hesitated or answered "no" to any of these questions, you have some work to do.
Consider having your team take the full assessment online. (It was beneficial in my experience!)
If you hesitated or answered "no" to any of these questions, you have some work to do.
Consider having your team take the full assessment online. (It was beneficial in my experience!)
Thanks for reading!
For more tips on:
• Marketing
• Business growth
• Audience building
Follow me @joe_portsmouth
For more tips on:
• Marketing
• Business growth
• Audience building
Follow me @joe_portsmouth
TL;DR - the 5 dysfunctions of a team are:
(1) Absence of Trust
(2) Fear of Conflict
(3) Lack of Commitment
(4) Avoidance of Accountability
(5) Inattention to Results
Start by addressing (1) and working your way up the pyramid to build a high-performing team.
(1) Absence of Trust
(2) Fear of Conflict
(3) Lack of Commitment
(4) Avoidance of Accountability
(5) Inattention to Results
Start by addressing (1) and working your way up the pyramid to build a high-performing team.
