The 5 dysfunction of a team is a

leadership fable. It centers around a

technology company trying to acquire
new customers and make a profit. The
new CEO realizes the company has
great potential but the executives are
not working together as a team. In order
to get them working as a team she
explains the 5 dysfunctions of a team
and how each one disrupts the team
process. In the end the executives
finally start working together and the
company starts to prosper.
Failure to hold one another accountable creates an environment where the
fifth dysfunction can thrive. Inattention to results occurs when the team
members put their individual needs such as ego, and career development
above the collective goals of the team.

A sports team has a defined goal of winning and though athletes have
big egos what makes them great team members is when they put the
team’s goal of winning above their own such as having their picture in
the paper or recognition.
A team that is not focused on
results
•Fails to grow
•Rarely defeats competitors
•Encourages team members to focus on
their own goals
•Is easily distracted
A team that is focused on
results
•Retains achievement-oriented
employee/members
•Minimizes individualistic behaviour
•Enjoys success and suffers failure
acutely
•Avoids distractions
 The Leaders Role in the Five Dysfunctions

Absent of trust Fear of conflict

•The leader must
demonstrate vulnerability first
•Must create an environment
where vulnerability is not
punishable
•Promoting healthy conflict
•Demonstrate restraint when their people
engage in conflict and allow resolution to
occur naturally
•Personally model appropriate conflict
behaviour

Lack of commitment
•The leader must be comfortable with
the prospect of making a decision that
ultimately turns out to be wrong
•Must be constantly pushing the team
for closure around issues
•Adherence to schedules that the
team has set
The Leaders Role in the Five Dysfunctions
• Cohesive Teams
• By addressing these dysfunctions, what results is a cohesive team….
• “…and imagine how members of truly cohesive teams behave:
• 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 collective results.”
• Summary
• The is a really great book on team dynamics and team work, in fact it’s one of the
best books on the subject that I’ve read. The book is written as a fable which help one
get a really vivid picture of how a healthy team interacts and what is feels like to be
part of a successful team. Although written as a fable, the book provides practical
advice, which leaders can use in their own teams.
• The book is a small and easy to read and the model provided is simple to understand
making it a powerful tool for helping teams improve. I highly recommend this book to
anyone, who leads a team. This book will help you understand what a successful
team looks and feels like.