EM Equity Spark: Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Unpacking the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Spotting and Addressing the Five Team Dysfunctions

Click these buttons to have the slide read aloud.

Learning Targets

1. Identify and understand the five key dysfunctions that commonly hinder team performance, including their symptoms and impact on team dynamics.
2. Develop practical strategies and actionable solutions to address and overcome each dysfunction, fostering a more cohesive, productive, and high-performing team environment.

Let's start with a quick overview...

The concept of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team originates from Patrick Lencioni's 2002 book, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," which explores the common pitfalls that undermine team effectiveness. Lencioni's model is based on his extensive experience in organizational consulting and is structured around a pyramid framework that highlights the interrelated nature of these dysfunctions.

Now, let's dive deeper

Dysfunction

AIM

Silo Results

Moving beyond silos and me doing my thing, to being one team focused on group results

Avoidance of Accountability

Holding ourselves & one another to account for agreed actions, behaviors & results

Lack of Commitment

Committing as a team because we've all stated our case agree & commit, disagree and commit

Open, honest, constructive debate to cover all the options and get everything on the table

Fear of Conflict

Title here

Feeling safe to be vulnerable in front of colleagues - to admit doubts, mistakes, to ask for help

Absence of Trust

Absence of Trust

Symptoms

• Conceal weaknesses & mistakes, hesitate to ask for help
• Jump to conclusions about intentions and aptitude of others
• Skills/experiences not shared

What's Lacking

• Shared Situational Awareness

Questions to Ask

• What can we do to better understand the unique attributes of team members (differences, perspectives, mindsets, etc.)?

Absence of Trust

Absence of Trust

Solution

• Foster vulnerability-based trust through team-building exercises and open communication.
• Encourage team members to share personal stories and experiences, and model vulnerability as a leader to create a safe and supportive environment.

Success Indicators

• Are honest about their abilities
• Not afraid to say they were wrong about something
• Feel comfortable asking for help
• Not afraid to say, “I’m sorry”

TRUST ✅

Fear of Conflict

Symptoms

• Back-channel politics and personal attacks thrive
• Waste time and energy with posturing
• Fear of hurting someone’s feelings

What's Lacking

• Communication

Questions to Ask

Fear of Conflict

• How can we ensure that the team works through issues?
• Do we understand how different team members approach conflict?

Title here

Absense of Trust

Fear of Conflict

Solution

• Promote healthy conflict by establishing norms for respectful debate and encouraging open dialogue. Emphasize the value of diverse opinions and create a culture where constructive disagreement is seen as a pathway to better solutions.

Success Indicators

• Agree on how to handle conflict
• Accept that some have skills others don’t have
• Are not afraid to disagree, challenge and question one another
• Don’t go behind each other’s back
• Get ideas from all the members
• Don’t play politics

CONFLICT ✅

Title here

TRUST ✅

Lack of Commitment

Symptoms

• Revisit discussion and decisions over and over, nothing gets done
• Ambiguity about direction and priorities
• Second guess each other

What's Lacking

Lack of Commitment

• Clear Vision with team buy-in

Questions to Ask

Fear of Conflict

• Are we clear on desired outcomes for the team? What are they?
• Have we clarified worst-case scenarios?

Title here

Absense of Trust

Lack of Commitment

Solution

• Ensure clarity and buy-in by setting clear goals, making explicit decisions, and assigning roles and responsibilities.
• Facilitate discussions to ensure all team members understand and agree on the team's direction and decisions.

COMMITMENT ✅

Success Indicators

• Know where they are going
• Learn from their mistakes
• Move forward
• Get there first

CONFLICT ✅

Title here

TRUST ✅

Avoidance of Accountability

Symptoms

• Misses deadlines and key deliverables
• Mediocre performance

What's Lacking

Avoidance of Accountability

• Shared Experience

Questions to Ask

Lack of Commitment

• How often do we conduct reviews of progress on objectives and adherence to standards?
• To what degree do we base rewards on team performance rather than individual performance?

Fear of Conflict

Title here

Absense of Trust

Avoidance of Accountability

Solution

• Create a culture of accountability by setting clear expectations, regularly reviewing performance, and providing constructive feedback. Encourage peer accountability and establish systems for tracking progress and addressing issues promptly.

ACCOUNTABILITY ✅

COMMITMENT ✅

Success Indicators

• Hold each other to standards for behavior and results
• Give constructive feedback
• Respect each other

CONFLICT ✅

Title here

TRUST ✅

Silo Results

Symptoms

• Stagnation or failure to grow.
• Avoids obstacles and individuals goal focus.

Silo Results

Avoidance of Accountability

What's Lacking

• Shared Values

Lack of Commitment

Questions to Ask

Fear of Conflict

• How successful are we at rewarding only those behaviors that contribute to team results?

Title here

Absense of Trust

Silo Results

Solution

• Focus on collective outcomes by defining and prioritizing team goals over individual goals.
• Align rewards and recognition with team achievements and continuously monitor and celebrate progress towards the team's objectives.

Results ✅

ACCOUNTABILITY ✅

COMMITMENT ✅

Success Indicators

• Get things done!
• Stay focused
• Keep star performers
• Take care of each other

CONFLICT ✅

Title here

TRUST ✅

Overcoming the five dysfunctions

Focus on results

Status games

Collective success

Hold each other accountable

High standards

Flakiness

Commit as a team

Clarity

Hesitancy

Resentment

Candour

Resolve Conflict

Title here

Guardedness

Openess

Build trust

adapted from Patrick Lencioni

Equity Matters can help!

It’s not always always easy to identify what more your team can do to analyze data for equity. And facilitating these types of conversations can be even harder! Thankfully, you don’t have to navigate this journey alone!

Learn more HERE

Connect with us & learn more!

Connect with us at: www.equitymattersconsulting.org or by clicking on the icon of any of the platforms below!

Purchase our book!

Dr. Sonya Murray-Darden CEO/Founder