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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

A Leadership Fable

Patrick M. Lencioni

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Corporate Culture

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
The Value of Teamwork+
Dysfunction 1: Absence of Trust+
Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict+
Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment+
Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability+
Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results+
Team Maintenance Strategies+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the text, what is the foundational element of all great teamwork?
  • A. A clear and measurable set of financial targets
  • B. Trust built through team members openly sharing their weaknesses and mistakes
  • C. A highly talented pool of individual star performers
  • D. Strict disciplinary rules enforced by the team leader
Question 2 of 8
What is the most important first step a team leader must take to foster trust within their team?
  • A. Conduct a rigorous performance review for all members
  • B. Delegate important decision-making tasks to subordinates
  • C. Lead by example by being the first to demonstrate vulnerability and admit mistakes
  • D. Establish a strict zero-tolerance policy for missing deadlines
Question 3 of 8
How does a lack of trust negatively affect a team's ability to engage in conflict?
  • A. It causes team members to avoid discussing controversial topics to maintain a pseudo-harmony.
  • B. It leads to constant, destructive arguments over minor details.
  • C. It forces the team leader to make all decisions without any input.
  • D. It encourages team members to focus solely on their individual career goals.
Question 4 of 8
How do great teams view 'consensus' when making important decisions?
  • A. They require every single team member to fully agree with the proposed solution before moving forward.
  • B. They understand it to mean that everyone is committed to the greater goal, even if their specific idea wasn't chosen.
  • C. They rely on the team leader to dictate the consensus to save time on debates.
  • D. They vote on every issue and only proceed if there is a unanimous outcome.
Question 5 of 8
Why is peer-to-peer accountability crucial for a high-performing team?
  • A. It ensures that the human resources department has accurate records of employee behavior.
  • B. It creates a highly competitive environment where team members try to outperform each other.
  • C. It prevents the team leader from having to be the sole source of discipline and maintains high performance standards.
  • D. It allows team members to artificially elevate themselves above their peers.
Question 6 of 8
What happens when team members prioritize their individual goals over the team's collective results?
  • A. The team's overall competitive edge is sharpened due to high individual motivation.
  • B. The team forgets its collective goals, progress stagnates, and the best team members eventually leave.
  • C. The engineering department naturally takes over the responsibilities of the sales team.
  • D. The team leader is forced to implement a new bonus structure based solely on personal achievements.
Question 7 of 8
According to the book, what is a primary benefit of a team spending a significant amount of time together in regular meetings?
  • A. It justifies the high salaries of the executive management team.
  • B. It allows the team leader to micromanage individual daily tasks more effectively.
  • C. It eliminates the need for any future conflict or debate within the organization.
  • D. It helps members develop good rapport, resolves conflicts face-to-face, and reduces redundant work.
Question 8 of 8
When Kathryn Peterson took over as CEO of DecisionTech, what did she prioritize to get the struggling company back on track?
  • A. Hitting immediate financial targets above all else
  • B. Firing the entire executive team and hiring new star players
  • C. Prioritizing teamwork even above hitting immediate financial targets
  • D. Securing more top-tier investors to increase the company's valuation

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Full Chapter Overview

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Summary & Overview

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (2002) presents the notion that teams are inherently dysfunctional, so deliberate steps must be taken to facilitate great teamwork. A knowledgeable team leader can do a great deal to make his or her team effective, and the book outlines practical tools for achieving this.

Who Should Listen to The Five Dysfunctions of a Team?

  • Anyone interested in the prerequisites of great teamwork
  • Anyone interested in the kind of leadership and management that facilitates great teamwork
  • Anyone interested in the interpersonal dynamics of the workplace

About the Author: Patrick M. Lencioni

Patrick Lencioni is president of The Table Group, a management consultancy. His previous bestselling books include Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Death by Meeting and Silos, Politics and Turf Wars. In 2008, CNN Money listed him as one of "ten new gurus you should know."

 

Patrick M. Lencioni: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team copyright 2002, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons Inc. and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

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