TIP 35
There’s No “I” in Team Because You Don’t Play Well with Others
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
~African Proverb
Have you ever been a member of a dysfunctional team? There are so many things that can go wrong. Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, lists the five most common problems and provides strategies on how to fix them. The Five Dysfunctions are as follows: • Absence of Trust • Fear of Conflict • Lack of Commitment • Avoidance of Accountability • Inattention to Results
Some of you reading this have already thought about the team you’re a member of—whether it’s work, sports, or volunteer related—and pegged the top one or two disfunctions you think are wrong with your team. In fact, you’ve probably identified one or two people on your team as the main cause of your team’s disfunction. It seems like every team has that one person who ruins everything your team might otherwise accomplish. You wonder why those in charge keep that person around.
Oh, but what if the problem is you?
Are You a Team Player? …show more content…
Leaders, the Buck Stops with You: Leaders must take their introspection a step further. Realize that if you’re the source of dysfunction on the team, not only is your team likely to fail most of the time, but your team members will emulate and express your dysfunctions as their own. Remember, team members follow their leader, even if that leader is dysfunctional. If the dysfunction lies outside yourself as a leader, you’re still ultimately responsible for the dysfunction. What are you doing to cure and prevent dysfunctions on your team? Are you willing to release a team member who can’t overcome their dysfunction, even with your help? Too often teams have dual layers of dysfunction in that the leader either fears conflict or avoids their responsibility to guide the team and therefore allow other dysfunctions to pervade and prevail. How can any team ultimately succeed in such an
There’s No “I” in Team Because You Don’t Play Well with Others
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
~African Proverb
Have you ever been a member of a dysfunctional team? There are so many things that can go wrong. Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, lists the five most common problems and provides strategies on how to fix them. The Five Dysfunctions are as follows: • Absence of Trust • Fear of Conflict • Lack of Commitment • Avoidance of Accountability • Inattention to Results
Some of you reading this have already thought about the team you’re a member of—whether it’s work, sports, or volunteer related—and pegged the top one or two disfunctions you think are wrong with your team. In fact, you’ve probably identified one or two people on your team as the main cause of your team’s disfunction. It seems like every team has that one person who ruins everything your team might otherwise accomplish. You wonder why those in charge keep that person around.
Oh, but what if the problem is you?
Are You a Team Player? …show more content…
Leaders, the Buck Stops with You: Leaders must take their introspection a step further. Realize that if you’re the source of dysfunction on the team, not only is your team likely to fail most of the time, but your team members will emulate and express your dysfunctions as their own. Remember, team members follow their leader, even if that leader is dysfunctional. If the dysfunction lies outside yourself as a leader, you’re still ultimately responsible for the dysfunction. What are you doing to cure and prevent dysfunctions on your team? Are you willing to release a team member who can’t overcome their dysfunction, even with your help? Too often teams have dual layers of dysfunction in that the leader either fears conflict or avoids their responsibility to guide the team and therefore allow other dysfunctions to pervade and prevail. How can any team ultimately succeed in such an