How to build a teamwork that works

Quite interesting reading, how doesn't like reading a novel that tight you up until finish it? Now, how about doing that focused in your work-life? Patrick Lencioni could make that happens on "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by turns his management ability in build team through a fascinating inside to the complex world of teams. This book is written up as a fable,

As a leadership fable, it tells us a story of an artificial high-tech company where the CEO faces issues that, usually businesses, have been striving and it is the ultimate leadership crisis. "She" faces the decisive leadership Emergency: How to unite a group of executives that is in such disorder that it hovers to bring down the whole company. Also, the book offers a deceptively and strong message for all those who deal and are anxious to have an exceptional team. In the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the writer turns his great brainpower to attractive the complex world of teams.

What the fundamental questions when you work with a team.: They trust each other? Do they engage in unfiltered conflict from their ideas and suggestions? Do they commit to decisions and actions? Do they hold with accountability and delivery it? Do they are focusing on achieving extraordinary results?

Patric emphasizes that first way to dysfunction a team is an "absence of trust" among team members. The origin cause of the absence of trust lies with team members being unable to show their weaknesses; to be susceptible and open with one another. The absence of trust is a gigantic waste of time and energy as team members invest their time and energy in self-justifying behaviors, and are unwilling to ask for help from – or assist – each other. Teams can overcome this dysfunction by sharing experiences, following through in multiple ways, demonstrating credibility, and developing strong intuition into the unique characteristics of team members. In other words, if the members of the team do not trust each other then they cannot be totally honest with each other, because: Trust & respect are the foundation stones of any relationship. There are 2 types of trust, trust in others to effectively deliver against their roles and responsibilities and psychological trust – i.e. trust not be taken advantage of a team with no trust will: 1)  Hide their weaknesses and mistakes from others; 2)  Hesitate to provide constructive feedback; 3)  Hesitate to offer help outside of their area of expertise; 4)  Fail to tap into the skills of others in the team; 5)  Waste time and energy managing their behaviors for effect; 6)  Hold grudges.

A team built on trust will: 1)  Quickly and genuinely apologize to one another when they say or do anything inappropriate or could damage the team; 2)  Accept questions and challenges from other members (for the greater good of the team); 3)  Take risks in offering feedback and assistance; 4)  Appreciate and tap into each other’s skills & experiences; 5)  Focus time & energy on prominent issues only; 6)  Openly admit their weaknesses and mistakes; 7)  Know about one another’s personal lives and are comfortable discussing them; 8)  Not be afraid to ask for help.

Suggested strategies to help overcome the absence of trust: 1)  Time together; 2)  ‘Calling’ people on behavior traits that demonstrate lack of trust; 3)  Understand each other’s personal history; 4)  Use personality profiling e.g. Myers-Briggs Type Index (MBTI); 5)  360-degree feedback; 6)  Leader ‘leads’ by example.

According to the book, the absence of trust = Unwilling to be vulnerable within the group.

Assessing your Team: Was there confidence among team members that peers intentions were good? Was there reason to be protective or careful around the group?

Failure to confidence, a team, would lead to the other dysfunction which is "fear of conflict." He is talking about a good battle that its only purpose is to produce the best possible solution in the short period. Teams that are absent trust are unable of having unfiltered, passionate debate about things that matter, causing team members to avoid conflict, replacing it with an artificial synchronization. In a work setting where team members do not openly express their opinions, inferior decisions are often the outcome. When working in teams you need to understand that conflict is fruitful. In other words, without trust people will not have the healthy debates that are necessary to arrive at better thought through decisions. 

According to the book, fear of conflict = Seeking artificial harmony over a constructive passionate debate.

Assessing your Team: Did the team engage in conflict or passionate debate? Was there a passionate or emotional debate? Was there a team leader and did the leader allow conflict to resolve naturally?

• Lack of conflict, it is not easy for team members to commit and buy-in to decisions, resulting in an environment where ambiguity prevails. Without of productive conflict would develop the third dysfunction a team which is "lack of commitment." In the context, commitment is a function of clarity and buy-in. Great teams make clear and timely decisions and move forward with complete buy-in from every member, even who disagree with the final decisions. Productive teams make joint and transparent decisions and are confident that they have the support of each team member. This is not as much about seeking consensus but making sure everyone is heard. In other words, If the team has not aligned behind a decision then the individual members who did not agree with the final decision will ultimately be less committed to that decision.

According to the book, lack of commitment= Feigning buy-in for group decisions create ambiguity throughout the organization.

Assessing your Team: Were the decisions made by the team clear and timely? Were all members idea genuinely considered? Did the team leader assume responsibility for any potential failures?

When teams don’t commit, you can’t have accountability: “people aren’t going to hold each other accountable if they haven’t clearly bought into the plan”. Thus, lack of a real commitment conducted to the fourth dysfunction a team which is an "avoidance of accountability." Here, accountability refers to the willingness of team members to call their peers on performance or behaviors that might hurt the team. ”. In a well-functioning team, it’s the responsibility of each team member to hold one another accountable and accept it when others hold them accountable. Very often, the key to success is the measurement of progress: making clear what the team’s standards are, what needs to be done, by whom and by when. In other words, members improve their relationships by holding one another accountable, and this demonstrates that they respect each other and have high expectations for one another's performance. If they are not committed to the course of action, then they are less likely to feel accountable or hold each other people accountable.

According to the book, avoidance of accountability= Ducking the responsibility to call peers on counterproductive behavior which sets low standards.

Assessing your Team: Did team members hold one another accountable? Was the team primarily accountable or was the leader primarily accountable? Did team members shift their attention to areas other than collective results?

When individuals aren’t held accountable, team members naturally tend to look out for their own interests, rather than the interests of the team. Failure to hold one another liable creates an atmosphere to the fifth dysfunction which is a "distraction to the results." A team can only become results oriented when all team members place the team’s results first. The tendency of members to care about something other than the communal goals of the group. It does mean, teams can overcome this dysfunction by making the team results clear and rewarding the behaviors that contribute to the team’s results. An inexorable focus on specific objectives and defined outcomes is a prerequisite for any team that judges itself on performance and is not only about financial measures as profit, revenue or shareholder returns. It refers to a wider definition of results, on that is related to outcome-based performance. Here, the primary role of the leader is to lead by example and set the tone for the whole team. This includes being the first one to be vulnerable, encouraging debate and conflict, making responsibilities and deadlines clear, setting the team’s standards, and finally being clear on the team’s results. In other words, they are less likely to care about the group results (and instead focus on achieving their own goals).

According to the book, inattention to results= Focusing on personal success, status, and ego before team success.

Assessing your Team: Did the team have a focus on specific objectives and clearly defined outcomes? Was the success of the team tied to specific goals? Did the team leader praised members for specific goals and objectives which were achieved?

In conclusion, Successful teamwork is not about mastering subtle, sophisticated theories, but rather about combining common sense with uncommon levels of discipline and persistence. Ironically, teams succeed because they are exceedingly human. By acknowledging the imperfections of their humanity, members of functional teams overcome the natural tendencies that make teamwork so elusive. It's easy to spot the errors of a team but much harder to correct. In that sense, the book is hardly revealing. The biggest gap is in not providing enough tangible approaches and techniques that a facilitator or leader could use to address the situation. The bottom line is: Teams succeed because they are human. By recognizing their flaws, members of functional teams overcome their tendencies that make trust, conflict, commitment, accountability and focusing on results so vague. If you have a chance to read it, do not hesitate!

Sources:

1. The Five Dysfunctions of a team by Patric Lencioni.