The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Mary Ann Damian
Granite State College
October 18, 2015
Abstract
Teamwork is about a supportive effort on the part of a group of persons working together in the interests of a common cause. Effective teams are essential in every area of a company. The fast-growing and ever-changing nature of business today sets a demand for building high performance teams. The paper focuses on the dysfunctions of a team and how to address those dysfunctions. The five types of dysfunctions in a team are reviewed: absences of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.
I. Introduction
Team building is an important subject in the current business climate
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as organizations are going towards team-based structures to make improvements to their productivity, profitability and service. In the absence of teams, employees are limited to individual efforts. However, with teams they grow into a cohesive group that share expectations for accomplishing team goals. The paper examines the dysfunctions of teams and how to address them. It explores key issues associated with the reasons why teams are not effective and addresses the challenges within a team. The dysfunctions explored form an interconnected model, therefore if one of them is not addressed then it can be possibly toxic for the success of a team. The pyramid below depicts how one dysfunction builds upon the next. Figure 1 - Five Dysfunctions of a Team II. Absence of Trust A team has to have trust in order to be effective. Trust in a team is when all members can be vulnerable with honesty, empathy and openness. If members believe that their peer’s intentions are good they do not have to self-protect themselves around the team. When trust is built the team will sincerely open up with one another and focus on the job at hand instead of managing their own actions for self-image. Usually trust building is a slow process, however it can be accelerated with open interaction and good communication skills.
The following five tools can be used to achieve trust in a team. First, the Personal Histories Exercise can be used by having the team members spend a short amount of time sharing information about themselves that others in the group may not already know about them. Second, a Team Effectiveness Exercise can be helpful when each member of the team focus on one person at a time to share what they believe is the most important contribution that member makes for the team. Then the same team member must also state what they believe the one area that person must improve or eliminate. This is done until each team member has gone through the process. Third, the Personality and Behavioral Preferences Profiles is considered to be the most effective with helping the team members better understanding each other. One of them to consider is the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), it gives nonjudgmental results that will assist the team in figuring out how to work together. This particular profile, “…is commonly used in business and team building to encourage optimal communication and teamwork among different personalities. Awareness of personality differences, or to “know thyself” as well as know others, is crucial for effective communication within an organization” (Schorr, 2012). Fourth, the 360-Degree Feedback should be given without being tied to compensation and formal evaluations. In doing so, the evaluation will be done more openly knowing it is for only individual development. The 360-Degree Feedback is when your peers make specific judgements on your performance. Finally, the Experiential Team Exercises is the last tool and one that should be considered an addition to the other tools. The exercises are when you get your team to go off-site and figure out how to work together in a situation that requires them to trust each other. This could be a
ropes courses or any outdoor inspired activity when one must depend on the other to succeed. III. Fear of Conflict The fear of conflict is felt by most teams that have not built trust with one another. That is why the team must overcome the first dysfunction to conquer fear of conflict. When a team trust each other they are more likely to communicate effectively. It is said that, “All great relationships, the ones that last over time, require productive conflict in order to grow” (Lencioni, 2002). Promoting healthy conflict can be considered the most difficult challenge for a team to face. “With the right mind-set that conflict is not bad but rather presents opportunities for change and growth, you will find your efforts at managing conflict within your organization to be both challenging and rewarding” (Griffith & Goodwin, 2013). Learning how to communicate constructively during conflict is key. To assist in engaging the members in constructive conflict an excellent tool to use with this dysfunction is the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. There are five conflict modes that are identified from this instrument that team members can use to learn about their own style and the style others on the team to handle conflict. “Using this model, individual choose their approach to conflict resolution based on their interest in achieving a certain outcome and their interest in fostering or maintaining their relationship with the other party” (Griffith & Goodwin, 2013). This will aid the team members to adopt an approach that may be unlike their preferred way to handle conflict. In business, it is vital for each member of the organization be able to have productive conflict for growth, minimize politics, expand upon all ideas, and discuss key topics. For the members of the team to overcome the fear of conflict they have to believe that not all conflict is bad and that constructive conflict can be productive. IV. Lack of Commitment A lack of commitment is displayed when the members do not support the decisions made by the group. When lack a commitment is apparent the group will rehashing the same discussion again and again. In the fast moving business world it is crucial for the team to commit to move forward and change direction when needed. In order for the members of the team to commit to the decisions the team must trust each other and openly engage in constructive conflict. When members are able to voice their opinions, be heard by the group, and believe the knowledge of the collective group has been considered they are more willing to commit. When a team commits they are then able to clearly define the direction and priorities for the group. V. Avoidance of Accountability When teams avoid accountability they fall prey to resentment among team members with different standards of performance, miss deadlines and have a team leader enforcing accountability among the team. “The role of the boss should not be to settle problems or constantly monitor your team, it should be to create a team culture where peers address concerns immediately, directly and respectfully with each other” (Grenny, 2014). This action will free up the boss from being the sole disciplinary and make the team vested in each other’s responsibilities. Thus, supporting a team environment and team accountability. To aid in creating a team that adheres to accountability the following three tools can be applied. The publication of goals and standards is an effective tool for developing clear objectives in order for each member to be aware of each teammate’s part for the success of the team. The Simple and Regular Progress Reviews can be used to keep the team on track with the agreed upon objectives. Team members need to communicate how they feel each member is doing in keeping up to their part of the team’s goals. In using team rewards the collective achievements of the team are focused on instead of individual performance. In using team rewards you are enforcing the importance of all members. VI. Inattention to Results In this last dysfunction inattention to results is attributed to team members being more concerned about their own agenda than those of the team. This can be displayed by members of the team only wanting to be on the team for status. If the member is only on the team for status they are not interested in taking an active role in achieving the team’s success. Another reason inattention to results can happen is when the individual status of the team member is placed at a higher level than that of the overall team. If a team is focused on results that team will retain employees that are achievement-oriented and reduce the probability of individualistic conduct. VII. Conclusion The five common dysfunctions can be resolved with leadership and persistence. The leadership within the organization has to buy into the importance of all the areas to build an effective team. This will take in some cases a change in culture, structure and processes. Persistence must be evident since the process may be lengthy and create disaccord at times within the team. However, the payoff for achieving a team that is cohesive will benefit the organization on many levels. When a team works together with a shared vision, clear responsibilities, willingness for teamwork, and support leadership they become a highly effective team. Figure 2 - Changing The Five Dysfunctions of a Team VIII. References Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass. Griffith, D., & Goodwin, C. (2013). Conflict survival kit: Tools for resolving conflict at work (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. Grenny, J. (2014, May 30). The Best Teams Hold Themselves Accountable. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from https://hbr.org/2014/05/the-best-teams-hold-themselves-accountable/ Schorr, K. (2012, December 20). Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Improve Teamwork | B2B Insights Blog. Retrieved October 16, 2015, from http://b2binsights.com/using-the-myers-briggs-type-indicator-to-improve-teamwork/
What are some common threats to each of the essential conditions for successful team performance? What are the psychological factors underpinning these threats?
The challenging process of being a leader worth following is an arduous task. Yet, in the book the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the fictional leader Katherine seemingly demonstrates it with an effortless ease. She established her position as a leader while standing her ground, and encouraging group engagement. Katherine also showcases high emotional intelligence with well thought out responses. Constant reevaluation of her team leads to astounding team building and development. All of these individual traits enabled her to not just be a great CEO, but a leader. A leader which would propel DecisionTech forward, among its competitors.
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Larson, C. and LaFasto, F. (1989), Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong. Newberry Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
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In conclusion, we feel as if we built trust in our team. Seeing as how we’re leaders in our own way, we each created a culture of trust among ourselves. Once we got to know each other personally and shared some personal information about ourselves, our families, hobbies, and other interests, that’s when we started to develop a bond and all the trust built up between us. And this paper assessed our group’s 3-5 major strengths and weaknesses and what successful strategies we hope to add to our team to build a more effective team in the future. Thank you for reading.
...rs but the goal is not achieved until each member has completed his part. The Factors that influence teamwork are impacted trust and have an impact on trust. When communication breaks down, trust is reduced and communications can help to build trust (Rocco, Hofer, and Herbsleb).Research shows that conflict has a negative impact on performance. A conceptual model is developed which explores relationship between conflict and performance and conflict impact performance through its effect on exchange and trust (Lau & Cobb, 2009).
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