1. Five Dysfunctions of a Team:
Symptoms, Assessment & Intervention
Megan Johnstone, PhD
Jack Kues, PhD
Rebecca Lee, PhD, RN
February 28, 2020

2. Introduction
• Lencioni P. The Five Dysfunctions of aTeam. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2002.
• Lencioni P. Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of aTeam. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2005.

3. Avoidance of
ACCOUNTABILITY
Lack of COMMITMENT
Fear of CONFLICT
Absence ofTRUST
Inattention to
RESULTS
The purpose of todays
introduction to this model is to
give you some insight into our
team. We should be able to
periodically assess and manage
what is happening when working
with others.
This pyramid describes the
possible dysfunctions within a
team and goes to say that if we
find our teams with any of these
dysfunctions, then we must
address it from the bottom up.
The Model

4. Results From GA ManagementTeam Assessment
6.0
7.5
8.1
7.1
6.4
-
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
Lack of Trust Fear of Conflict Lack of
Commitment
Avoidance of
Accountability
Inattention to
Results
4-1-3-2-5
6-7-8-11-9
12-10-13-14-15
Total Score
Statements

5. Without a certain comfort level among team members, a
foundation of trust is impossible.
Teams without trust are reluctant to be vulnerable with one
another, they hesitate/are afraid to ask for help, and they
tend not to be honest about their abilities
As a result, members fail to recognize and tap into one
another’s skills & experiences meaning that great ideas are
not being generated and abilities not being utilized.
Symptoms
 Team members are afraid to say they were wrong about
something
 They try to conceal their weaknesses & mistakes
 Often jump to conclusions about others’ intentions and
aptitudes
Dysfunction #1: Absence ofTrust
TRUST

6. A team lacking in trust will be afraid to engage in healthy
conflict. Many people feel uncomfortable with engaging in
unfiltered, passionate debate about key issues.They will go
out of their way to avoid conflict.
In a work setting where team members do not openly air
their opinions, inferior decisions, back-stabbing, out-of-
meeting personal attacks will be the results.
Symptoms
 Members are afraid to disagree, challenge and question
one another
 Members fear hurting someone’s feelings
 They go behind another’s back to get things done
 They set up meeting-after-a-meeting to vent
 They generally play politics
Dysfunction #2: Fear of Conflict
CONFLICT
TRUST
Thought:
Generating ideas at the beginning to get a
strategic project going is critical.
But what if team members can’t tell the
manager, “I don’t think your idea is very good
and here’s why…”?

7. Without conflict, it is difficult for team members to commit
to decisions. Lack of clarity and buy-in prevents team
members from making decisions they will stick to.This
means that people won’t work to their full potential, and
this can get them disgruntled.
Symptoms
 Team often revisits discussions and decisions
 There is ambiguity about direction and priorities
 Members are confused about purpose and keep
discussing the same issues
Dysfunction #3: Lack of Commitment
COMMITMENT
CONFLICT
TRUST
Thought:
Committed teams have a direction, know their
goals & priorities, understand the objectives
and where they are headed, learn from
mistakes and move forward.

8. When teams don’t commit to a clear plan of action, even the
most focused and driven individuals hesitate to call out their
peers on actions and behaviors that may seem
counterproductive to the overall good of the team.
And the irony of holding back on calling people out, for fear of
conflict, is that eroding performance creates more resentment
between members.
Symptoms
 Teams miss deadlines and key deliverables
 Mediocre or declining performance
 One person does all the work for the team
Dysfunction #4: Avoidance of Accountability
COMMITMENT
CONFLICT
TRUST
ACCOUNTABILITY
Thought:
Teams that embrace accountability respect
each other but holds one another to
standards for behavior and results, in a
constructive manner.

9. Thought:
We are all BUSY PEOPLE with lots of competing
demands! However, the hallmark of a successful
team is results achievement!
When everyone focuses on collective results and minimizes
individualistic behavior, everyone is accountable, and everyone
enjoys the success.
However, if a team loses sight of the need for achievement, the
business ultimately suffers.When individuals are not held
accountable, team members gravitate toward their personal
goals at the expense of the collective goals of the team.
Symptoms
 Poorly defined goals; no shared data to track progress
 Get nothing accomplished, stagnates/fails to grow.
 Work on the wrong things
 Lose star performers
 Team members take care of themselves
Dysfunction #5: Inattention to Results
COMMITMENT
CONFLICT
TRUST
ACCOUNTABILITY
RESULTS

10. Trust:Take-Home

11.  Agreement is the destination, debate and discussion pave the road.
 If everyone is on the same page at the beginning, it’s probably not going to be a
very interesting story.
 Challenge the idea, not the person.
 Assume positive intent.
 Express appreciation every time you feel it; the more you express it, the more you
feel it, and the more it comes back around.
Conflict: Take-Home

12. Commitment: Take-Home
 You must know where you are going before you start a trip.
 Make sure our team is traveling together.
 Sometimes, it may not be a lack of commitment, it may be a lack of direction.

13. Accountability:Take-Home
Not Good For The Team?
YOU ARE ALSO
ACCOUNTABLE IF YOU
DO/SAY NOTHING ABOUT
IT.

14. Attention to Results: Take-Home