#53 Blog. Teams rarely fail because people don’t care- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Over the years, working closely with leaders and teams, I’ve realized something important: teams rarely fail because people don’t care. Most of the time they care too much and so much. They care so much that they take it personally, even they know they shouldn’t. The emotions are there, although they say they aren’t. Almost always, they struggle because the environment doesn’t allow people to show up fully, challenge each other honestly, and stay accountable together.

I had a chance to visit the fantastic annual conference of #DevLearn a few weeks back (for talent a development geeks). From out of no ware someone gave me the Patrick Lencioni’s “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” book. I know it, I’ve read it. Whenever a book pops into my hands like that, I know it’s for a reason. It really still one of the best ways to understand teams and management. Not as theory, but as a mirror. When I teach it in workshops, I ask managers to read it not as a list, but as a story of what it feels like to work in a great team… versus a team that’s slowly breaking. You will find out so much similarity to just day to day examples- I encourage you to read it, it’s kind of a must have....

It starts with Trust

Imagine a meeting where someone says, “Honestly, I don’t know how to move forward,” and the room responds with ideas, not judgment.

That’s trust. Not the soft kind, but the strong kind that allows people to admit mistakes, ask for help, and speak honestly. Without it, everyone protects themselves. They nod, stay polite, “Yes Men”, and collaborate just enough to avoid exposure. Do you really want to have "yes men" in your team? If you nod, I encourage you to think twice.

Trust begins when you, the manager, go first. When you’re willing to say, “I was wrong,” or “I’m still figuring this out,” you give others permission to do the same. You give permission to challenge you and the rest of the team. Innovation arises when one challenges the status queue. When mistakes are met with curiosity instead of criticism, people learn faster and become more courageous.

Then comes Conflict

In teams with trust, people don’t avoid tension, they engage with it. Not to win, but to find the best answers. But when conflict is unsafe, it gets buried. Meetings sound productive but feel incomplete. The real concerns are staying underground. The team gets used to watered-down decisions because no one dares to challenge them in real time. So, decisions are very high level and, on the surface, rarely can really move the needle. And most of the time, challenges remain as is. It’s like putting a bandage over a bleeding artery. You know it won’t help, but you keep doing it, since you either don’t know something else, or too afraid of dealing with the reality.

Healthy conflict is not shouting. It’s the ability to say, “I see it differently- can we explore that?” As a manager, it’s your role to invite that. Ask, “What perspectives are missing?” or “What are we not saying because it’s uncomfortable?” When people see that disagreement leads to better decisions, not personal friction, they lean into it.

Which leads to Commitment

People can’t truly commit to decisions they never felt part of. Commitment isn’t everyone agreeing; it’s everyone being clear. How can you make things clear? Do you want to?

Have you ever left a meeting thinking one thing while someone else thought the opposite? That’s the result of avoided conflict. Without open conversation, there’s no real buy-in. Avoiding conflict means that you don’t encounter what really matters deep inside. Think about your personal relationships. Now think about the one relationship you really wanted to succeed but communication was not strong.

At the workplace, to build commitment, close every discussion by naming the decision, clarifying who owns what, and by when. When people see their voice was heard (even if the final call isn’t theirs), they show up differently.

Next comes Accountability

Accountability between team members only works when expectations are clear. When the team isn’t aligned, holding others accountable feels personal, even confrontational. Some might have good relations, they are able to understand each other, but it’s not the same with all the rest. So, people just avoid it. Deadlines slip quietly. Quality weakens. And the high performers begin to feel alone. Do you really want to risk your high performances fly away?

Great teams normalize accountability as support, not policing. Not “You didn’t do your job,” but “We agreed this mattered- how can I help you get there?” You make this happen by defining success from the beginning and encouraging open check-ins when someone is off track.

Finally, Results

When all the above is missing, people focus on their own area, their projects, their tasks, their performance. Silos. They optimize individually, not collectively. And you know what happens? The team hits its targets (not always), but something still feels off.

In high-performing teams, success is collective. People speak in “we,” not “I.” Wins are shared. Barriers are tackled together. The leader makes sure the whole team owns the result, not just their part in it.

The Shift

Trust → invites conflict

Conflict → leads to clarity

Clarity → drives commitment

Commitment → enables accountability

Accountability → delivers results

This is the journey of every manager who wants to build a team that’s safe, strong, and able to grow. And any relationship who acts as a team by the way. The difference is that in the workplace you must initiate results to keep the business running.

It starts with you, not by knowing all the answers, but by creating a space where people can speak the truth, take risks, and move forward together.

What are your thoughts?

Do any of the above resonate with you?

Where do you feel your team struggles the most?

What do you do to change it?