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Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators
In the years following the publication of Patrick Lencioni’s best-seller The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, fans have been clamoring for more information on how to implement the ideas outlined in the book.In Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni offers more specific, practical guidance for overcoming the Five Dysfunctions—using tools, exercises, assessments, and real-world examples. He examines questions that all teams must ask themselves: Are we really a team? How are we currently performing? Are we prepared to invest the time and energy required to be a great team?Written concisely and to the point, this guide gives leaders, line managers, and consultants alike the tools they need to get their teams up and running quickly and effectively.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
768 people are currently reading
4596 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Lencioni
104books2,434followersPatrick Lencioni is a New York Times best-selling author, speaker, consultant and founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to helping organizations become healthy. Lencioni’s ideas around leadership, teamwork and employee engagement have impacted organizations around the globe. His books have sold nearly three million copies worldwide.
When Lencioni is not writing, he consults to CEOs and their executive teams, helping them to become more cohesive within the context of their business strategy. The widespread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, universities and churches. In addition, Lencioni speaks to thousands of leaders each year at world class organizations and national conferences. He was recently cited in the Wall Street Journal as one of the most sought-after business speakers in the nation.
Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. He also served on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.
When Lencioni is not writing, he consults to CEOs and their executive teams, helping them to become more cohesive within the context of their business strategy. The widespread appeal of Lencioni’s leadership models have yielded a diverse base of clients, including a mix of Fortune 500 companies, professional sports organizations, the military, non-profits, universities and churches. In addition, Lencioni speaks to thousands of leaders each year at world class organizations and national conferences. He was recently cited in the Wall Street Journal as one of the most sought-after business speakers in the nation.
Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a corporate executive for Sybase, Oracle and Bain & Company. He also served on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
April 29, 2022
This is one of the best books I have read all year about leading teams -- much more useful than the last multi-week project management course I took!
I've worked in environments where strong team building was a priority and have always appreciated the extra effort made to organize team off-sites where everyone works together on many of the issues described in this book. Even though I am not leading team and my department is huge and geographically dispersed, I feel like there's a lot of material here that I can take away to help with my projects.
Similar to some of the recent books I have read ("Power of Habit", "Reprogram Your Weight" and even "Outliers") - there is discussion of the "Fundamental Attribute Error."
human beings tend to falsely attribute the negative behaviors of others to their character (an internal attribution), while they attribute their own negative behaviors to their environment (an external attribution).
That's a tremendous bit of human behavior that we should all keep in mind. It's something I constantly repeat when one of my friends gets mad at some behavior in traffic, for example, "That person probably wasn't thinking of you at all - they were just thinking of themselves." It's NOT personal.
My biggest takeaways from this book are around meetings and metrics for success. Even if I do not (currently) find myself in a position to organize and lead a team offsite based on the information in this book (wish we could do that!), there are some really great concepts I can apply.
First - meetings. Boring meetings where everyone agrees or some people don't talk or where nobody comes to "consensus" indicate a lack of clarity of purpose, perhaps even the wrong people in the meeting and worse, the "ultimate penalty of boring meetings is bad decisions, not to mention wasted time."
It is important to get buy in at the beginning of the meeting or discussion - raise the anxiety a bit. This isn't just a status meeting -- let's have a meeting to commit to an decision that is important because it affects some goal that we all care about. Status can happen in e-mail or on the wiki.
Second, the author stresses the difference between "consensus" and "commitment" -- one of the key qualities of leadership in moving forward to a goal is getting people to commit, "buying in to decisions when the “right� answer seems nowhere to be found."
Further, "Good leaders drive commitment among the team by first extracting every possible idea, opinion, and perspective from the team" and then step up and make a decision. NB: commitment cannot happen if there is not perfect clarity - and that's where "cascading communication" comes into play. Recap "what did we decide here today?" in the meeting, and then send it out in e-mail, and make sure the team members communicate it to their staff right away.
One of the tips in this book is to start a meeting with a "lightning round," allowing "no more than thirty seconds to update the team about their three top priorities that week." Another excellent tip is to track progress against specific goals and objectives -- so that the team can stay on track and ensure that decisions around changes in scope or priority are measured against those objectives.
Finally - the author makes it clear that building a good team requires commitment to process and is like a marriage, it happens over time. Being able to build trust on a team, using inquiry to hear all the ideas, making decisions based on specific goals -- these all can help a team make better decisions and be more effective & efficient.
The last section of the book provides an outline of the itinerary and directions for different exercises - pretty high level but still appears to be a very useful tool for managing a team building offsite. I'll definitely keep this in my back pocket for future reference and recommend it to anyone who works on a team of any type!
Author website with tools & resources:
I've worked in environments where strong team building was a priority and have always appreciated the extra effort made to organize team off-sites where everyone works together on many of the issues described in this book. Even though I am not leading team and my department is huge and geographically dispersed, I feel like there's a lot of material here that I can take away to help with my projects.
Similar to some of the recent books I have read ("Power of Habit", "Reprogram Your Weight" and even "Outliers") - there is discussion of the "Fundamental Attribute Error."
human beings tend to falsely attribute the negative behaviors of others to their character (an internal attribution), while they attribute their own negative behaviors to their environment (an external attribution).
That's a tremendous bit of human behavior that we should all keep in mind. It's something I constantly repeat when one of my friends gets mad at some behavior in traffic, for example, "That person probably wasn't thinking of you at all - they were just thinking of themselves." It's NOT personal.
My biggest takeaways from this book are around meetings and metrics for success. Even if I do not (currently) find myself in a position to organize and lead a team offsite based on the information in this book (wish we could do that!), there are some really great concepts I can apply.
First - meetings. Boring meetings where everyone agrees or some people don't talk or where nobody comes to "consensus" indicate a lack of clarity of purpose, perhaps even the wrong people in the meeting and worse, the "ultimate penalty of boring meetings is bad decisions, not to mention wasted time."
It is important to get buy in at the beginning of the meeting or discussion - raise the anxiety a bit. This isn't just a status meeting -- let's have a meeting to commit to an decision that is important because it affects some goal that we all care about. Status can happen in e-mail or on the wiki.
Second, the author stresses the difference between "consensus" and "commitment" -- one of the key qualities of leadership in moving forward to a goal is getting people to commit, "buying in to decisions when the “right� answer seems nowhere to be found."
Further, "Good leaders drive commitment among the team by first extracting every possible idea, opinion, and perspective from the team" and then step up and make a decision. NB: commitment cannot happen if there is not perfect clarity - and that's where "cascading communication" comes into play. Recap "what did we decide here today?" in the meeting, and then send it out in e-mail, and make sure the team members communicate it to their staff right away.
One of the tips in this book is to start a meeting with a "lightning round," allowing "no more than thirty seconds to update the team about their three top priorities that week." Another excellent tip is to track progress against specific goals and objectives -- so that the team can stay on track and ensure that decisions around changes in scope or priority are measured against those objectives.
Finally - the author makes it clear that building a good team requires commitment to process and is like a marriage, it happens over time. Being able to build trust on a team, using inquiry to hear all the ideas, making decisions based on specific goals -- these all can help a team make better decisions and be more effective & efficient.
The last section of the book provides an outline of the itinerary and directions for different exercises - pretty high level but still appears to be a very useful tool for managing a team building offsite. I'll definitely keep this in my back pocket for future reference and recommend it to anyone who works on a team of any type!
Author website with tools & resources:
February 13, 2019
This slim “field guide� is the follow-up to the author’s best-selling business book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. The dysfunctions are:
1. Absence of Trust
2. Fear of Conflict
3. Lack of Commitment
4. Avoidance of Accountability
5. Inattention to Results
Lencioni offers practical tools—assessments, role playing, sharing exercises, etc.—to help leaders overcome each dysfunction. This volume is oriented primarily around the sorts of workshops a lead team can perform in a one- or two-day offsite retreat.
I did not have any “Aha!� moments but did find some tools I can use in my company.
One principle in the book I had never really considered is the assertion a leader must be more committed to the team he is a member of (usually, a lead team) rather than the team he leads (usually a department or functional team). Intellectually, I understand this is necessary to put the goals of the company above the goals of an individual department, but on a gut level, I also believe leaders have a high responsibility to individuals under them who directly rely on them for training, developmental assignments, and career advancement opportunities. I am always hesitant when asked to support the needs of any group if it comes at the expense of the well-being of my own direct reports. That said, Lencioni makes a compelling case: If leaders cannot cooperate to achieve the greater good, it is usually the individual contributors who will suffer having to wade through internal politics and turf wars.
1. Absence of Trust
2. Fear of Conflict
3. Lack of Commitment
4. Avoidance of Accountability
5. Inattention to Results
Lencioni offers practical tools—assessments, role playing, sharing exercises, etc.—to help leaders overcome each dysfunction. This volume is oriented primarily around the sorts of workshops a lead team can perform in a one- or two-day offsite retreat.
I did not have any “Aha!� moments but did find some tools I can use in my company.
One principle in the book I had never really considered is the assertion a leader must be more committed to the team he is a member of (usually, a lead team) rather than the team he leads (usually a department or functional team). Intellectually, I understand this is necessary to put the goals of the company above the goals of an individual department, but on a gut level, I also believe leaders have a high responsibility to individuals under them who directly rely on them for training, developmental assignments, and career advancement opportunities. I am always hesitant when asked to support the needs of any group if it comes at the expense of the well-being of my own direct reports. That said, Lencioni makes a compelling case: If leaders cannot cooperate to achieve the greater good, it is usually the individual contributors who will suffer having to wade through internal politics and turf wars.
April 26, 2021
In general, I like the way that the exercises are laid out and I think it's a good companion to 5 Dysfunctions. My challenge is that there is an expectation that you are able to set aside the time for a full day offsite (or two). While I know that's what is recommended, that's not my decision and it would have been more useful if there were exercises that took up significantly less time so that they could be done in the space of a much smaller meeting, perhaps more frequently. I have managed to get my team through some of the exercises and they have been well received.
May 14, 2024
The first 2 Sections are good.
4� for the first 2 chapters
2� for the 2nd half.
As soon as MBTI came up, he lost me.
Almost half the damn book is dedicated to MBTI.
I have to keep remembering that this book was written in 2002 when we were all about MBTI - but the unvarying faith in Myers Briggs as a useful decision making tool and repeated statements about the "scientific basis" of that test makes me think that the author did no actual research on that test, but based his book on it.
It was well known in 2002 that the test was bunk, if anyone actually researched it.
4� for the first 2 chapters
2� for the 2nd half.
As soon as MBTI came up, he lost me.
Almost half the damn book is dedicated to MBTI.
I have to keep remembering that this book was written in 2002 when we were all about MBTI - but the unvarying faith in Myers Briggs as a useful decision making tool and repeated statements about the "scientific basis" of that test makes me think that the author did no actual research on that test, but based his book on it.
It was well known in 2002 that the test was bunk, if anyone actually researched it.
April 23, 2018
A practical follow up to Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team. If that book defines the problem, these are the solutions. Trainers, coaches and leaders will find this a treasure trove of exercises to build and mature teams.
September 9, 2024
This was a really good field guide to support the implementation of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. It wasn’t as engaging as the fable itself, which is not surprising, and, especially towards the end, it came across as quite listy / notey, which is understandable given its purpose but it made for a slightly less enjoyable read.
February 26, 2017
A really successor for the "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" book
Informative, Clear, simple, Direct and work reading
This book can be read by spectlist in team building Team leaders and mangers, more then any other readers
But, reader should be aware that there is more about team building then this book .. more to be aware of about teams is out there
Regards
Informative, Clear, simple, Direct and work reading
This book can be read by spectlist in team building Team leaders and mangers, more then any other readers
But, reader should be aware that there is more about team building then this book .. more to be aware of about teams is out there
Regards
May 28, 2017
Clarity - The elimination of assumptions and ambiguity from a situation.
Mining for conflict - A facilitation skill that requires an individual to extract buried disagreements within a team and bring them to the surface.
Teamwork - The state achieved by a group of people working together who trust one another, engage in healthy conflict, commit to decisions, hold one another accountable, and focus on collective results.
ABSENCE OF TRUST
Members of great teams trust one another on a fundamental, emotional level, and they are comfortable being vulnerable with each other about their weaknesses, mistakes, fears and behaviors. They get to a point where they can be completely open with one another, without filters. This is essential because...
FEAR OF CONFLICT
Teams that trust one another are not afraid to engage in passionate dialogue around issues and decisions that are key to the organization's success. They do not hesitate to disagree with, challenge and question one another, all in the spirit of finding the best answers, discovering the truth and making great decisions. This is important because...
LACK OF COMMITMENT
Teams that engage in unfiltered conflict are able to achieve genuine buy-in around important decisions, even when various members of the team initially disagree. That's because they ensure that all opinions and ideas are put on the table and considered, giving confidence to team members that no stone has been left unturned. This is critical because...
AVOIDANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Teams that commit to decisions and standards of performance do not hesitate to hold each other accountable for adhering to those decisions and standards. What is more, they don't rely on the team leader as the primary source of accountability, they go directly to their peers. This matters because...
INATTENTION TO RESULTS
Teams that trust one another, engage in conflict, commit to decisions and hold one another accountable are very likely to set aside their individual needs and agendas and focus almost exclusively on what is best for the team. They do not give in to the temptation to place their departments, career aspirations or ego-driven status ahead of the collective results that define team success.
Building trust:
*Trust is the foundation of teamwork.
*On a team, trust is all about vulnerability, which is difficult for most people.
*Building trust takes time, but the process can be greatly accelerated.
*Like good marriage, trust on a team is never complete; it must be maintained over time.
Mastering conflict:
*Good conflict among team members requires trust, which is all about engaging in unfiltered, passionate debate around issues.
*Even among the best teams, conflict will at times be uncomfortable.
*Conflict norms, though they will vary from team to team, must be discussed and and made clear among the team.
*The fear of occasional personal conflict should not deter a team from having regular, productive debate.
Achieving commitment:
*Commitment requires clarity and buy-in.
*Clarity requires that teams avoid assumptions and ambiguity, and that they end discussions with a clear understanding about what they've decided upon.
*Buy-in does not require consensus. Members of great teams learn to disagree with one another and still commit to a decision.
Embracing accountability:
*Accountability on a strong team occurs directly among peers.
*For a culture of accountability to thrive, a leader must demonstrate a willingness to confront difficult issues.
*The best opportunity for holding one another accountable occurs during meetings, and the regular review of a team scoreboard providers a clear context for doing so.
Focusing on results:
*The true measure of a great team is that it accomplishes the results it sets out to achieve.
*To avoid distractions, team members must prioritize the results of the team over their individual or departmental needs.
*To stay focused, teams must publicly clarify their desired results and keep them visible.
Quotes
“Ironically, for peer-to-peer accountability to become a part of a team’s culture, it has to be modeled by the leader. That’s right. Even though I said earlier that the best kind of accountability is peer-to-peer, the key to making it stick is the willingness of the team leader to do something I call “enter the danger� whenever someone needs to be called on their behavior or performance. That means being willing to step right into the middle of a difficult issue and remind individual team members of their responsibility, both in terms of behavior and results. But most leaders I know have a far easier time holding people accountable for their results than they do for behavioral issues. This is a problem because behavioral problems almost always precede results. That means team members have to be willing to call each other on behavioral issues, as uncomfortable as that might be, and if they see their leader balk at doing this, then they aren’t going to do it themselves.�
“People who don’t like conflict have an amazing ability to avoid it, even when they know it’s theoretically necessary�
“The lack of conflict is precisely the cause of one of the biggest problems that meetings have: they are boring�
“But perhaps most important of all, having too many people on a team makes team dynamics during meetings and other decision-making events almost impossible. That’s because a good team has to engage in two types of communication in order to optimize decision making, but only one of these is practical in a large group. According to Harvard’s Chris Argyris, those two types of communication are advocacy and inquiry. Basically, advocacy is the statement of ideas and opinions; inquiry is the asking of questions for clarity and understanding. When a group gets too large, people realize they are not going to get the floor back any time soon, so they resort almost exclusively to advocacy. It becomes like Congress (which is not designed to be a team) or the United Nations (ditto).�
January 14, 2009
One of the problems with reading "must read" books in a field after you've been working for 15 years is that you spend a lot of time saying, "Well, duh, I knew that already!"
Of course, if you can remember what it was like 15 years ago when you started working, you'd say to yourself... "Hmmm... this book would have saved me a lot of headaches if I read it 15 years ago."
If you've never really thought much about team dynamics (or only thought about team dynamics in the "YOU" <-> "TEAM" sense), this is actually a great book. If you have a dysfunctional team (or you're on a dysfunctional team), and you're too close to the problem to figure out how to deal with it, it's a good read. It can remind you of what you already know... or, if you're not in a position to fix anything, can help you come to grips with the reality of what's going on.
Of course, if you can remember what it was like 15 years ago when you started working, you'd say to yourself... "Hmmm... this book would have saved me a lot of headaches if I read it 15 years ago."
If you've never really thought much about team dynamics (or only thought about team dynamics in the "YOU" <-> "TEAM" sense), this is actually a great book. If you have a dysfunctional team (or you're on a dysfunctional team), and you're too close to the problem to figure out how to deal with it, it's a good read. It can remind you of what you already know... or, if you're not in a position to fix anything, can help you come to grips with the reality of what's going on.
November 28, 2014
Very good, and a fairly quick read. Some Great team insights with good exercises outlined. The core concepts are solid. It's a great book for team members to read because it's not quite as involved as some books are, yet the core attributes of great team participation or "membership" is laid out very well. I'm recommending this to my entire team. This fits seamlessly with Agile and Scrum concepts too yet is not as big of a bite for people who aren't ready for the entire Scrum layout. Extremely useful book in many situations.
July 5, 2018
A fascinating read. The author shares his model concisely and then shows how to address the dysfunctions through very thoroughly detailed steps, tools and exercises.
My only concern is that he promotes the use of MBTI first and other tools like DISC later. I'm not MBTI or DISC certified, but I'm aware that MBTI is not really a scientifically valid tool in comparison to DISC or others like hogan assessments, PI or PRISM.
The book is worth investing in, especially if you are a manager of a team, or aspire to be one.
My only concern is that he promotes the use of MBTI first and other tools like DISC later. I'm not MBTI or DISC certified, but I'm aware that MBTI is not really a scientifically valid tool in comparison to DISC or others like hogan assessments, PI or PRISM.
The book is worth investing in, especially if you are a manager of a team, or aspire to be one.
April 6, 2021
I thought this book was a decent read on teamwork. Lencioni begins with the 5 dysfunctions-Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict, Lack of Commitment, Avoidance of Accountability, and Inattention to Results. Some takeaways were using the Meyers Briggs Test to help teammates open up and build trust. To help with conflict, participants should agree on goals and go over what was agreed on at the end of meetings. For accountability, teammates should point out one another's strengths and areas of improvement and follow up in a few months to see changes. And lastly, teams need to focus on results.
September 22, 2010
Actually, this is a very book which I do not think got the publicity or attention it should have. It demonstrates how to use applied psychology in the work place to build teams. A good manager know this information, but Patrick does a good job of labeling it and organizing it so that it can be communicated and taught to others. He also does a great job of covering the elements of team building and dysfunction such that even a seasoned manager can learn something from this book.
December 31, 2019
หยิบหนังสือมาจากร้านวันที่ 28 ธันวาค� อ่านอย่างต่อเนื่องจบก่อนสิ้นป� 2019 ไม่เชื่อตัวเองว่ากำลังชอบหนังสือที่เขียนสไตล์นี้คื� เป็นเรื่องเล่าก่อนในส่วนแรก แล้วตามตบด้วยทฤษฎี ซึ่งในส่วนแรกก็สอดแทรกทฤษฎีไว้แล้วเมื่อคิดตาม นี่เป็นหนังสืออีกเล่มที่อ่านได้เร็วพอๆกั� Radical Focus แป� และทั้งสองเล่มใช้ประโยชน์ได้ด� สีปกสีแดงสวยงามด� การอธิบายจุดบอดทั้งห้าด้วยพีระมิดทำให้จดจำได้ง่า�
April 23, 2013
This book ended up being more or less a repeat of the material in the Five Dysfunctions book, though told in a different style. I suspect either book would be good on its own without the other, though ultimately, I'd prefer the original.
March 19, 2025
Got ahead of myself and read this before the first book because I thought they're one and the same so please keep that in mind as you read this review!
For a slim volume, it sure packs a lot of info within 140 pages or so. Normally, I find it frustrating to read books that could've been written as an extensive blog post, but Lencioni gets a pardon here.
For each of the five Dysfunctions that he lists out, he provides concrete solutions and feedback that teams and managers can action on. Leoncini writes in the beigest prose possible but it gets the job done - reading it feels like having a conversation with a coworker that you respect.
It's funny because I thought that a lot of the things he outlines here are similar to being a good parent or a good partner in a relationship. So if you're not a manager, you can still definitely read this and apply it to other aspects in your life.
Key takeaways are:
1. Vulnerability builds trust.
Get your team members to believe in the good in each other. If they can trust and believe in each other, they'd be less likely to hold personal grudges over individual idiosyncrasies that can inspire politics and pretense.
2. Healthy conflict is needed.
A team that can engage in conflict without bringing their personal agendas onto the matter can solve more problems and waste less time. This requires being able to trust in one another, which is why step one matters.
A good team leader should be like a good storyteller as well. They need to generate sufficient anxiety within the team to get the team members to care about where they're going. And in order to do that, conflict is needed. As long as the team is familiar with how conflict should look like for them, then they will understand that it's not personal - just work.
3. Commitment requires clarity.
Teams need to commit to a decision regardless of how they feel about it as long since they know what goal or purpose they're trying to achieve. As long as the team was given an avenue to voice out their ideas and feel acknowledged, the final decision doesn't have to be aligned with their initial thoughts.
A leader needs to establish clarity on the next steps so everyone knows what the concrete action is based on the discussion. Decisions should be agreed upon to ensure that branch solutions don't occur.
4. Accountability is a two-way street.
Leaders and managers of companies should also be held accountable for their behavior and their results. Otherwise, we would get a highly political environment where the truth is obscured by maintaining the uneasy status quo.
In order to do this, steps 1 - 3 should be established to create a culture of accountability where the momentary discomfort of letting someone know they're in the wrong is acceptable and expected.
5. Look at the same results.
The team needs to come up with ways to look at the results they value and ensure that everyone understands how the results are generated. If they can grasp this, the team can identify the part they play in ensuring this scoreboard is accurate and true.
Lencioni gives more concrete exercises befitting a team activity which you could read in the book but so far, these are the top ideas that you can implement inside or outside of work.
If you feel like you're already a good manager, this would serve as a quick refresher just to check if all is in order.
If you feel like you can still improve and your team is not as well-oiled of a machine as you would like, definitely read this for some quick wins or inspiration!
For a slim volume, it sure packs a lot of info within 140 pages or so. Normally, I find it frustrating to read books that could've been written as an extensive blog post, but Lencioni gets a pardon here.
For each of the five Dysfunctions that he lists out, he provides concrete solutions and feedback that teams and managers can action on. Leoncini writes in the beigest prose possible but it gets the job done - reading it feels like having a conversation with a coworker that you respect.
It's funny because I thought that a lot of the things he outlines here are similar to being a good parent or a good partner in a relationship. So if you're not a manager, you can still definitely read this and apply it to other aspects in your life.
Key takeaways are:
1. Vulnerability builds trust.
Get your team members to believe in the good in each other. If they can trust and believe in each other, they'd be less likely to hold personal grudges over individual idiosyncrasies that can inspire politics and pretense.
2. Healthy conflict is needed.
A team that can engage in conflict without bringing their personal agendas onto the matter can solve more problems and waste less time. This requires being able to trust in one another, which is why step one matters.
A good team leader should be like a good storyteller as well. They need to generate sufficient anxiety within the team to get the team members to care about where they're going. And in order to do that, conflict is needed. As long as the team is familiar with how conflict should look like for them, then they will understand that it's not personal - just work.
3. Commitment requires clarity.
Teams need to commit to a decision regardless of how they feel about it as long since they know what goal or purpose they're trying to achieve. As long as the team was given an avenue to voice out their ideas and feel acknowledged, the final decision doesn't have to be aligned with their initial thoughts.
A leader needs to establish clarity on the next steps so everyone knows what the concrete action is based on the discussion. Decisions should be agreed upon to ensure that branch solutions don't occur.
4. Accountability is a two-way street.
Leaders and managers of companies should also be held accountable for their behavior and their results. Otherwise, we would get a highly political environment where the truth is obscured by maintaining the uneasy status quo.
In order to do this, steps 1 - 3 should be established to create a culture of accountability where the momentary discomfort of letting someone know they're in the wrong is acceptable and expected.
5. Look at the same results.
The team needs to come up with ways to look at the results they value and ensure that everyone understands how the results are generated. If they can grasp this, the team can identify the part they play in ensuring this scoreboard is accurate and true.
Lencioni gives more concrete exercises befitting a team activity which you could read in the book but so far, these are the top ideas that you can implement inside or outside of work.
If you feel like you're already a good manager, this would serve as a quick refresher just to check if all is in order.
If you feel like you can still improve and your team is not as well-oiled of a machine as you would like, definitely read this for some quick wins or inspiration!
December 23, 2018
Why this book was written: Great team management is one of the most integral parts of leadership - and the biggest factor to success. This book shows how to achieve this simple - yet often elusive task.
Summary: The keys to a great team are a set of 5 interlocking parts, which are the most frequent causes of dysfunctions in a team (hence the name of the book).
This author shows how each of these parts leads to the next and ultimately builds great teams.
Trust: The first and most crucial ingredient in a team is trust. An environment of trust is a prerequisite to a great team because it gives team members the psychological safety (by releasing the chemical Oxytocin in the body) to perform at their best, without wasting brain power on political maneuvering.
Constructive Argument: When team members trust that their peers will look out for them and have their backs, they are open to freely share their views on problems and build a system where problems are solved quickly and efficiently.
Team Commitment: When everyone in the team knows that all the voices have been heard and weighed on merit, they will be on board with the decision and have full buy in, regardless of whether their decision won out.
Accountability: When there's buy in from the whole team on a course of action, members feel accountable for their end of the results. This means, team members course correct in a decentralized manner that is much faster and more effective than a top down, centralized, command and control system.
High Performance: This is the result when all the four previous pieces fall into place. When there's trust in the team, members are confident enough to openly air constructive feedback, are committed to the end goal and are accountable for their parts of the mission, everything comes together around the goal set by the organization and success results.
Key Highlights:
- Trust between team members is the key to starting the domino of successful team performance
- Myers and Briggs tests are a helpful measure of individual characteristics and can be used to calibrate team dynamics
- Contrary to popular belief, off sites are useful. You just have to know how to run them. These can act as "Intensive Camps" to foster team bonding, understanding and cohesion to enable high performance back at base
Summary: The keys to a great team are a set of 5 interlocking parts, which are the most frequent causes of dysfunctions in a team (hence the name of the book).
This author shows how each of these parts leads to the next and ultimately builds great teams.
Trust: The first and most crucial ingredient in a team is trust. An environment of trust is a prerequisite to a great team because it gives team members the psychological safety (by releasing the chemical Oxytocin in the body) to perform at their best, without wasting brain power on political maneuvering.
Constructive Argument: When team members trust that their peers will look out for them and have their backs, they are open to freely share their views on problems and build a system where problems are solved quickly and efficiently.
Team Commitment: When everyone in the team knows that all the voices have been heard and weighed on merit, they will be on board with the decision and have full buy in, regardless of whether their decision won out.
Accountability: When there's buy in from the whole team on a course of action, members feel accountable for their end of the results. This means, team members course correct in a decentralized manner that is much faster and more effective than a top down, centralized, command and control system.
High Performance: This is the result when all the four previous pieces fall into place. When there's trust in the team, members are confident enough to openly air constructive feedback, are committed to the end goal and are accountable for their parts of the mission, everything comes together around the goal set by the organization and success results.
Key Highlights:
- Trust between team members is the key to starting the domino of successful team performance
- Myers and Briggs tests are a helpful measure of individual characteristics and can be used to calibrate team dynamics
- Contrary to popular belief, off sites are useful. You just have to know how to run them. These can act as "Intensive Camps" to foster team bonding, understanding and cohesion to enable high performance back at base
October 14, 2024
I have read The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team several times and consider it a regular reread book. I never envisioned being asked to lead leadership change among a senior leadership team. The story is great, but how to do it; I'm not sure I was ready to address that challenge. The book was fictional and full of theory; however, it lacked the practical advice I needed to lead this change myself. The field guide picks up where the book left off. It goes into detail about the strategies and practical execution required to lead a facilitator through navigating the five dysfunctions.
I listened to this as an audiobook; however, I purchased many of the resources that the author and his company of assembled. This included the print copy of the book I had just listened to and the facilitator's guide.
The first half of the audiobook can be listened to and retained as long as you are able to take good notes; however, the second half of the book, when it goes into details on the various exercises and timelines, is better handled using the written book and a highlighter.
Like any other field guide I've read, The Five Dysfunctions Field Guide is NOT a comprehensive manual. It doesn't encompass all scenarios but rather gives you high-level strategies and deployment concepts to consider.
I would highly recommend you either read or listen to the Five Dysfunctions fable before reading this guide. Although there is a summary of the book, it is much less engaging and does not drive that burning platform the way the fable does.
In general, it is an excellent companion to the fable.
I listened to this as an audiobook; however, I purchased many of the resources that the author and his company of assembled. This included the print copy of the book I had just listened to and the facilitator's guide.
The first half of the audiobook can be listened to and retained as long as you are able to take good notes; however, the second half of the book, when it goes into details on the various exercises and timelines, is better handled using the written book and a highlighter.
Like any other field guide I've read, The Five Dysfunctions Field Guide is NOT a comprehensive manual. It doesn't encompass all scenarios but rather gives you high-level strategies and deployment concepts to consider.
I would highly recommend you either read or listen to the Five Dysfunctions fable before reading this guide. Although there is a summary of the book, it is much less engaging and does not drive that burning platform the way the fable does.
In general, it is an excellent companion to the fable.
April 25, 2020
has long been one of my favorite business authors and perhaps the best there is on organizational health. His style of writing easily-accessible business fables that teach timeless truths has led to millions of book sales.
By far the most famous of those fables is and those dysfunctions are worth listing: The first is an absence of trust among team members. Essentially, this stems from their unwillingness to be vulnerable within the group. A failure to build trust sets the tone for the second dysfunction, which is a fear of conflict. Teams that lack trust are incapable of engaging in unfiltered and passionate debate of ideas. That ensures the third dysfunction of a team: lack of commitment. Without having aired their opinions in the course of passionate and open debate, team members rarely, if ever, buy in and commit to decisions, leading an avoidance of accountability, the fourth dysfunction. Without committing to a clear plan of action, people often hesitate to hold their peers accountable, which creates an environment where the fifth dysfunction can thrive: inattention to results.
If none of those dysfunctions sound familiar, you're either not on a team or you are in a state of blissful ignorance. Every team suffers from at least one of these dysfunctions and could benefit from reading both books. While the fable clearly lays out the impact of these dysfunctions, it's this Field Guide that shows you how to overcome them. And isn't that the whole point?
By far the most famous of those fables is and those dysfunctions are worth listing: The first is an absence of trust among team members. Essentially, this stems from their unwillingness to be vulnerable within the group. A failure to build trust sets the tone for the second dysfunction, which is a fear of conflict. Teams that lack trust are incapable of engaging in unfiltered and passionate debate of ideas. That ensures the third dysfunction of a team: lack of commitment. Without having aired their opinions in the course of passionate and open debate, team members rarely, if ever, buy in and commit to decisions, leading an avoidance of accountability, the fourth dysfunction. Without committing to a clear plan of action, people often hesitate to hold their peers accountable, which creates an environment where the fifth dysfunction can thrive: inattention to results.
If none of those dysfunctions sound familiar, you're either not on a team or you are in a state of blissful ignorance. Every team suffers from at least one of these dysfunctions and could benefit from reading both books. While the fable clearly lays out the impact of these dysfunctions, it's this Field Guide that shows you how to overcome them. And isn't that the whole point?
March 22, 2024
I got tricked. I bought the book because I saw many positive reviews and I was very interested in the topic. Afterwise, I realized it's a "spin off" type of book, practical tips and Q&A - not the original "Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by the same author! I hate these book additions, which in theory are supposed to be a "practical supplement" but in practice are just a cool business model for reproducing content that has already been created
Despite my initial disgust and low expectations, I'm inclined to say this is a great book. The first half of the book, to be more precise. The second one is Q&A section which I wasn't able to go through.
Nevertheless, again, the message is brilliant. I agree with all the dysfunctions and Lencioni's conclusions. Chapters about neccesity of conflict and transparency / trust in the teams are essentially pure gold. Althought they are quite short, I felt satisfied with a ratio of theory to practice in the content.
Recommended read!
Despite my initial disgust and low expectations, I'm inclined to say this is a great book. The first half of the book, to be more precise. The second one is Q&A section which I wasn't able to go through.
Nevertheless, again, the message is brilliant. I agree with all the dysfunctions and Lencioni's conclusions. Chapters about neccesity of conflict and transparency / trust in the teams are essentially pure gold. Althought they are quite short, I felt satisfied with a ratio of theory to practice in the content.
Recommended read!
December 9, 2023
📕 Why (Not) to read this book (Target Audience)
Learn what makes a team vs a group off workers.
👀 How this book changed my daily live (Takeaways)
� 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
� Spoiler Alerts (Highlights)
And remember, it's okay to decide that your group isn't a team. In a world where teamwork is rarer than we might think, plenty of non-teams succeed. In fact, if your group is not meant to be a team, it's far better to be clear about that than to waste time and energy pretending you're something you're not. Because that only creates false expectations, which leads to frustration and resentment.
Learn what makes a team vs a group off workers.
👀 How this book changed my daily live (Takeaways)
� 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
� Spoiler Alerts (Highlights)
And remember, it's okay to decide that your group isn't a team. In a world where teamwork is rarer than we might think, plenty of non-teams succeed. In fact, if your group is not meant to be a team, it's far better to be clear about that than to waste time and energy pretending you're something you're not. Because that only creates false expectations, which leads to frustration and resentment.
February 24, 2025
Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni is a must-read for anyone working with a team that’s hard to get on the same page. The book breaks down common problems teams face, like lack of trust, poor communication, and avoiding accountability, and gives clear, actionable steps to fix them. Lencioni uses a simple, straightforward approach that’s easy to apply, even in tough team situations. Whether you’re a leader or just part of a team, this book will help you identify what’s holding your group back and provide tools to make real improvements. If your team feels like it’s stuck or constantly in conflict, this book is exactly what you need to turn things around. Highly recommended!
July 18, 2017
This book is a follow up to the fable 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, covering teamwork (and leadership).
I didn't read the original fable, but I suspect this book covers the bulk of the concepts there + added some actionable tips on how to recognize and overcome the 5 dysfunctions. There are basically 5 sequential levels to be conquered:
1. Building Trust
2. Mastering Conflict
3. Achieving Commitment
4. Embracing Accountability
5. Focusing on Results
Easy book to read, and practical solutions to apply. Good stuff.
Book summary at:
I didn't read the original fable, but I suspect this book covers the bulk of the concepts there + added some actionable tips on how to recognize and overcome the 5 dysfunctions. There are basically 5 sequential levels to be conquered:
1. Building Trust
2. Mastering Conflict
3. Achieving Commitment
4. Embracing Accountability
5. Focusing on Results
Easy book to read, and practical solutions to apply. Good stuff.
Book summary at:
August 26, 2018
I love this book! This is an amazing companion and successor to the older book by the same author "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team", if that was about the problems, this book is about the solutions. The style of writing is different than that of the earlier book were it was mainly a fable about a mythical company. This book is more methodical and systematic, it reads very formulaic but still contains a lot of supporting example stories. It starts out with an overview of the model and then digs deeper into how to fix each problem, what tools to us and exercises to do. It is a real treasure trove of information. I recommend this book to managers on all levels, it is worth the investment.
January 30, 2020
Still active in my quest to acquire knowledge for the project I’m doing for work next year. A year of leadership training workshops for almost 200 people, what?! As I’m reading through this book today I can’t help but think,� Really Lord, me? Are you sure?�
He seems to be.
This was another book I’ve been reading to ground my knowledge in all things leadership, team, and self-development for the sake of great work! I appreciated this field guide of how to implement Lencioni’s previous work on the same subject, which I read a few years ago. He has so much experience working with all kinds of teams, which while insightful is also intimidating for this young coach just starting out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
He seems to be.
This was another book I’ve been reading to ground my knowledge in all things leadership, team, and self-development for the sake of great work! I appreciated this field guide of how to implement Lencioni’s previous work on the same subject, which I read a few years ago. He has so much experience working with all kinds of teams, which while insightful is also intimidating for this young coach just starting out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 8, 2024
While I got a lot out of the original Five Dysfunctions of a Team, I hated the follow-up book. I found it authoritarian and laced with words like, "dictate" "insist" and "force".
Additionally, I believe in uncovering conflict, but the definition in the book of mining for conflict was more "stirring the pot" (direct quote). I also don't think conflict is a tool to "keep meetings interesting".
Patrick Lencioni used broad statements and generalizations about people groups that he isn't qualified to make, whether cultural groups or large families, or genders.
All-in-all I think the book is outdated and contains horrible advice for leaders.
Additionally, I believe in uncovering conflict, but the definition in the book of mining for conflict was more "stirring the pot" (direct quote). I also don't think conflict is a tool to "keep meetings interesting".
Patrick Lencioni used broad statements and generalizations about people groups that he isn't qualified to make, whether cultural groups or large families, or genders.
All-in-all I think the book is outdated and contains horrible advice for leaders.
November 1, 2018
Nice read, easy to read style with some stories and a bunch of exercises plus a team building roadmap. Good structure of the different parts like section three that dedicates chapters to common questions and objections. So generally a nice and interesting book but still only 3 stars cause it somehow does not offer a lot more detail than the original book. I would recommend it to someone who is in a hurry, wants to skip the original book and move to action right away. To everyone else I would recommend the original book :)
October 19, 2021
I am a big fan of Patrick Lencioni’s book „The Five Dysfunctions of a Team� and would definitely recommend that one to everyone. For this field guide I am not so sure. A lot of things felt like duplicate content and I didn’t take many new ideas 💡 from it. Yes, it definitely is a good reminder and it does contain additional material that can be used hands on e.g. in workshops (none too surprising). If that’s something you are specifically looking for, go ahead. Otherwise I would rather point you to the original book.
October 22, 2024
I listened to this book. Though it was really good as an audible, I would like to buy this as well. The model they use to overcome a dysfunctional team is really helpful. I enjoyed the five dysfunctions of the team when I read it, but I didn’t realize that this book endedwith a model that is applicable immediately. The whole last part of it is a filled guide. I would like to have them on paper instead of listening to him tell me and read to me the instructions. If you’ve ever read the five dysfunction of a team, I think this is a great addition.
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