1. THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS
OF A TEAM
A LEADERSHIP FABLE
Based on the book by Patrick Lencioni
Presented by
Herb Tannenbaum, PhD

2. Inattention to
RESULTS
Status and Ego
Low Standards
Ambiguity
Artificial Harmony
Invulnerability
Avoidance of
ACCOUNTABILITY
Lack of
COMMITMENT
Fear of
CONFLICT
Absence of
TRUST

3. QUESTIONS
1. What is your vision of the dream team?
2. What would our team look like and what would
the team be doing if they were living the highest
version of your vision?
3. What legacy do you want yourself and our team
to leave (specific to your job responsibilities and
legacy we leave behind as a team)?
4. What brutal reality might our team have to face
to move them towards the dream?

4. The Nightmare Team
1. Absence of Trust: Unwillingness to be
vulnerable concealing of mistakes
2. Fear of Conflict: No passionate debate of ideas,
guardedness about differences
3. Lack of Commitment: no clarity of issue and no
buy-in because conflict was avoided
4. Avoidance of accountability: no clear plan of
action without commitment to goals.
5. Inattention to Results: too often individual
needs or agendas ahead of collective good.

5. How Truly Cohesive
Teams Work
1. They trust one another
2. They engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas
3. They commit to decisions and plans of
action
4. They hold one another accountable for
delivering against those plans
5. They focus on the achievement of the
collective results

6. Building Trust
1. Trust is not built overnight
2. Comes from shared experience, follow
through and credibility
3. Trust is the confidence on one another’s
intentions and that it is safe to be vulnerable,
acknowledge the need for help and to take
ownership of mistakes
4. Trust comes from a culture of compassion and
understanding
5. Leader demonstrates vulnerability, admits mistakes, asks
for help, does not shame or punish
6. Listens with curiosity

7. Building Trust
7. Listens with curiosity
8. Speaks with the dignity, willing to let go
of specific outcomes while remaining
committed to larger vision
9. Acknowledges team members unique
contributions
10.Team members are encourages to ask for
constructive feedback
11.Team members consult with one another, make
use of team resources and only take risks in
consultation with Director/Owner

8. Healthy Conflict
1. leaders point of view: Conflict is productive and needs to be
navigated safely and effectively
2. Teams that engage in productive conflict know that the only
purpose is to produce the best possible solution in the shortest
period of time.
3. Conflict is best out in the open
4. People are respectful of differences and the differences can enrich
and inform final decision
5. A collaborative approach is used in conflict, all points of view
considered, although Team Leader is final decision-maker
6. Leader may remind team that healthy conflict is necessary so it
doesn’t go underground and undermine decisions
7. All points of view are held with dignity and team members feel
valued and listened to

9. Commitment
1. Once conflict is aired, if any, there is a greater likelihood of clarity of the
issues and greater buy-in. This leaders to greater commitment to execute
decisions made.
2. Great teams made clear and timely decisions and execute effectively
3. Buy-in necessary even when complete agreement is impossible
4. Committed teams have a healthy process: their opinions have been heard and
considered
5. When ideas are genuine considered there is greater willingness to rally and unite
around decision
6. Team leader ultimately makes call particularly if team is at an impasse
7. Always review key decisions made during a meeting
8. Agree on what needs to be communicated to employees and other
constituencies and in what timeframe
9. Be clear on what remains confidential
10. The Team Leader is clear about expectations, pushes for closure and
adherence to schedules

10. Accountability
1. Team Members are willing to call each other on
performance issues.
2. Team members respond to peer pressure, they don’t
want to let each other down
3. Team leader clarifies what team needs to achieve, who needs to
deliver it and how everyone must behave in order to succeed.
4. Team leader has objectives stated in measurable
specific outcome statements
5. Regular reviews are held
6. Relationship between Team Leader and team members is a
positive, strong bond that is important to both parties
7. Team is rewarded not just individuals
8. Observe what happens when leader intentionally creates
accountability vacuum.

11. Attention to Results
1. The collective good of the team is important
to team members
2. There is a public declaration of results
3. Teams that say “we’ll do our best” are not
committed to extraordinary results and are
subtly preparing themselves for failure
4. The leader sets the tone for a focus on
results.