At the HTB Leadership Conference yesterday, Patrick Lencioni did a great analysis of “The five dysfunctions of a team.” As well as being a superb public speaker, he leads a management consultancy. He’s a Catholic from San Fransisco Bay area. Nicky Gumbel said he was attracted by the title of one of Lencioni’s other books: “Death by Meeting.”

Of particular interest to me is the fact that Lencioni’s book on the five dysfunctions of a team is a novel. Even analysis of best business practice works great when articulated through the means of a story!

He really dined out, and spent most of his time on the first of the five dysfunctions. 

1. The absence of trust

Which he defined more narrowly than you might expect as vulnerability based trust. Things the boss could say but often doesn’t include: “I don’t know” “I messed this up,” “I’m sorry, what I said was out of line.”

He went into some depth explaining the problems a team can get into if the leader, or a team member fails to admit their faults.

He told a story about a dysfunctional team in the San Fransisco Bay area, where one team member struggled to trust the others. If even one member can’t be vulnerable then it will be a problem. Lencioni said: “The only way this works is if the leader goes first.”

He then told another story about a famous chief exec, who even after doing a 360 degree feedback exercised, still refused to wholeheartedly participate in taking on board the negative feedback he received.

2. Fear of conflict

“Conflict is a good thing. Without vulnerability-based trust, conflict is politics. But with vulnerability based trust, then you can debate something passionately and that’s good.

“The apostles disagreed sometimes. They did it in the pursuit of truth.”

3. The Lack of commitment

“When people don’t weigh in, they don’t buy in.

“Consensus is a four letter word. If we wait for consensus, we will wait too long.

“Intel have a great saying: ‘disagree and commit.’

“There is rarely immediate consensus.

“Passive commitment is dangerous.

4. The avoidance of accountability

The leader has to confront difficult issues. “I don’t have the time and the energy for that,” can be a disastrous attitude.

5. Inattention to results

People can be too committed to their budget, their career.

 

In summary, or in in conclusion, of course the other thing that was going on was that Lencioni was making a subject that could have been dry, entertaining. He made it all live and come alive. No wonder he’s in such demand.

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