In the two previous blogs, we have discussed the foundational dysfunctions of a team according to Patrick Lencioni. Those dysfunctions as named by Mr. Lencioni are absence of trust and fear of conflict. These two dysfunctions are the base blocks for a pyramid of dysfunctional team performance. Absence of trust was discussed in the first installment of this particular strand of blogs. The absence of trust within a group must be overcome first before any other opportunities for improvement can be pursued. If a team won’t trust one another, they simply cannot move forward. Once the trust is in place and has become functional, then a team can move on to overcoming the fear of conflict. Much like a fear of heights can paralyze a climber, a fear of conflict can paralyze a team. Not facing conflict lulls a team into a feeling of false harmony causing them to avoid the real issues thereby negating resolution. Conflict is not something to fear, it is something to embrace. Once we embrace the fear, we can overcome it. Once we overcome it, we become functional on that level and can move on to taking care of team dysfunction three….lack of commitment.
Lack of commitment is a direct result of a lack of trust and avoidance of conflict within a team. From the outside the team may appear to be functioning okay because nobody is arguing and a few things are getting done. Deadlines might even be being met. However, there in the shadows lurks the dreaded lack of commitment. A lack of commitment breeds ambiguity. Because team members haven’t learned to trust each other and haven’t learned to have constructive arguments, the true mission of the team remains indistinct and undefined. This leaves too much up to the interpretation of the individual. Issues unresolved will begin to be defined by that individual rather than by the team. When the team doesn’t function properly and basic steps for defining the mission and operation of the group aren’t taken, then the team won’t have a clear collective understanding of how to process information as it comes onto the scene. The individual will be left to their own devices to process that information instead. As that information is processed individually, suddenly the singular answer begins to get the commitment over the collective.
Much of what we have looked at here seems harmless. The fact is that it is very harmful. When we have created an environment that fosters a lack of commitment to the team, then we have set that team up for an unsuccessful run at meeting its goals. It becomes entirely too easy for a member to decide the fight isn’t worth the trouble when their is no higher purpose to serve such as the collective group. Additionally, members will have less ownership in the tasks that are assigned to them and may shirk responsibility that would otherwise be the fuel for the fire of their team pursuit. Ensuring commitment should be at the top of the list for any team leader. First, build a space where trust can grow. Second, manage conflict without fear. Then, ask for commitment from the group and its members. Once that commitment is in place, team members are much more willing to make the sacrifices necessary to meet the goals of the group.
