The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has become the world’s most definitive source on practical information for building teams. The book’s impact extends beyond business schools, churches, non-profit organizations, professional sports teams, and the military.  The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has sold over two million copies and continues to be a fixture on national best-seller lists week after week.

The Concept

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team outlines the root causes of politics and dysfunction on the teams where you work and the keys to overcoming them. Counter to conventional wisdom, the causes of dysfunction are both identifiable and curable. However, they don’t die easily. Making a team functional and cohesive requires levels of courage and discipline that many groups cannot seem to muster.

The Model

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#1: Absence of Trust

The fear of being vulnerable with team members prevents the building of trust within a team.

#2: Fear of Conflict

The desire to preserve artificial harmony stifles the occurrence of productive, ideological conflict.

#3: Lack of Commitment

The lack of clarity or buy-in prevents team members from making decisions they will stick to.

#4: Avoidance of Accountability

The need to avoid interpersonal discomfort prevents team members from holding one another accountable for their behaviors and performance.

#5: Inattention to Results

The pursuit of individual goals and personal status erodes the focus on collective success.

Characteristics of High Performing Teams

Teams willing to address the five dysfunctions can experience the following benefits.

High performing, cohesive teams:

#1: Are comfortable asking for help, admitting mistakes and limitations, and take risks offering feedback.

#2: Tap into each others' skills and experiences.

#2: Avoid wasting time talking about the wrong issues and revisiting the same topics repeatedly because of the lack of buy-in.

#4: Make higher quality decisions and accomplish more in less time and fewer resources.

#5: Put critical topics on the table and have lively meetings.

#6: Align the team around common objectives.

#7: Retain star employees.

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