W
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CREATING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM
AND ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Those of you who have been on a team (and
as social beings, haven’t we all) know that all
teams can be dysfunctional, like it or not. This
is inevitable. Teams are made up of fallible,
imperfect members of the human race, and
as a result, be it the football field, corporate
boardroom or one-room start-up, there are
clashes, disconnects and confusion, which
can become more the rule than the exception
sometimes.
The power of teamwork is great, though. The
founder of a billion-dollar company expressed that
best when he said, “If you could get all the people in
an organisation rowing in the same direction, you
could dominate any industry, in any market, against
any competition, at any time.” In our experience,
whenever leaders hear this, they nod their heads in
agreement, but with a sense of defeated resignation.
They grasp the truth of it, while simultaneously
surrendering to the impossibility of actually making
it happen.
Fortunately, the causes of dysfunction are both
identifiable and curable. Unfortunately, though,
they don’t die easily. Making a team functional and
cohesive requires extraordinary levels of courage,
discipline and commitment to action.
So what are these ‘dysfunctions’ we’re talking
about?
They form Patrick Lencioni’s ‘Five Dysfunctions
of a Team’ model. And, along with Insights
Discovery, this provides the foundation for our
team development work: Absence of Trust, Fear
of Conflict, Lack of Commitment, Avoidance of
Accountability, and Inattention to Results. For any
team to consistently accomplish the results it sets
out to achieve, it must acknowledge and overcome
these dysfunctions.
Dysfunction #1 - The Absence of Trust
Members of great teams trust one another on a
fundamental, emotional level and are comfortable
being vulnerable with each other about their
weaknesses, mistakes, fears, and behaviours. They
get to a point where they can be completely open
with one another. Any healthy team environment
should be a safe space where its members can share
their successes and failures together, without filters
or fear of reprisals or repercussions.
82 wirrallife.com
Consider: Why does trust matter to a team? What’s
your role as a leader in establishing trust in a team?
Dysfunction #2 - The Fear of Conflict Teams
that trust one another are not afraid to engage in
passionate unfiltered dialogue around issues and
decisions that are key to an organisation’s success.
They do not hesitate to disagree with, challenge,
and question one another, all in the spirit of finding
the best answers, of discovering the truth, and of
making great decisions.
Consider: Why is the ability to engage in productive
conflict important to a team? How does the leader’s
attitude towards conflict impact the team members’
ability to engage in productive conflict?
Dysfunction #3 - A Lack of Commitment
Teams that engage in unfiltered conflict are able to
achieve genuine buy-in around important decisions,
even when some members of the team disagree.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about consensus. It’s about
ensuring that all opinions and ideas are put on the
table and considered, and about giving confidence
to team members that no stone has been left
unturned.
Consider: What can happen when team members
fail to commit to important decisions? What
happens when you make decisions by consensus?
What can you as a leader do to increase buy-in?
Dysfunction #4 - The Avoidance of Accountability
Teams that commit to decisions and standards of
performance do not hesitate to hold one another
accountable for adhering to them. They also don’t
rely on the team leader as the primary source of
accountability. Instead, they go to their peers and
hold one another accountable directly.
Consider: What is likely to happen when team
members do not hold one another accountable?
Should your team members also hold you
accountable as the leader?
Dysfunction #5 - 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’s best for the team. They
do not give in to the temptation to place their
departmental or career aspirations ahead of the
collective results that define a team’s success. There
is no place for individual ego in an effective team.
Consider: What can leaders do to help their teams
focus on results?
A healthy organisation is one that has learned
to master these dysfunctions. When they do,
productivity and morale soar, and good people
almost never leave for greener pastures. For leaders
who are sceptical, rest assured that none of this is
touchy-feely or ‘soft’. It’s as tangible and practical
as anything a business does, and of the highest
importance.
Why? Because even the smartest organisations
in the world, the ones that master strategy,
finance, sales, marketing, people engagement and
development and technology, will eventually fail if
their team is unhealthy. Individual functions may be
present, but they need to work together in tandem
as a team. A healthy team will always find a way to
succeed and inevitably become smarter as they tap
into every bit of a team’s intelligence and talent.
So why does organisational health remain
untapped? Because it’s not easy. Leaders must be
willing to confront themselves and their peers, as
well as the dysfunctions within their organisation
with an uncommon level of honesty and
persistence. They must be prepared to walk straight
into uncomfortable situations and address issues
that prevent them from realising the potential that
eludes them. We call this managerial courage, and
the best leaders we’ve worked with have it in spades.
They’re not afraid to have critical conversations, or
reward people when they get it right, or hold people
accountable when they don’t.
So what kind of leader are you? And just how (dys)
functional is your team or organisation?
To find out more about how Westminster
Associates can help you develop your team and
your organisation, get in touch via email:
[email protected], mobile 07968
423738, or visit www.westminster-associates.com
Based on ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’, by
Patrick Lencioni.