The Truth about Teamwork: 3 Lessons Every Leader Needs to Know
Assembling a group of people and expecting them to behave like a high-functioning, cohesive team is unrealistic.
Yet, it’s what we do all the time.
We put groups of people together and call them a team and often give no further thought to how to build unity and create effectiveness. We might book an occasional “team building” event or gather together for a lunch, and we call it a win.
Box checked. Team built.
Not so much. Sometimes we get lucky and the random people we’ve thrown together knock it out of the park, but often they struggle. The best case scenario is that a well-functioning group could become better. The worst is that we’ve set them up for failure and frustration, we don’t get the results we need, and some might even quit.
Years ago, I read Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and it seemed so simple and obvious; I couldn’t imagine why it wasn’t required reading for all leaders. It gave a straight-forward model to create a high-functioning team.
The Model
The Five Behaviours of a Cohesive Team is the positive slant of Lencioni’s model. Based on a pyramid where each layer supports the next, you build from the bottom up to the top.
Starting with building vulnerability-based trust amongst team members allows you to foster productive conflict which allows you to create commitment which then supports accountability and finally results.
As I’ve worked on and with teams, I have learned a ton of lessons; three of the most critical are:
Trust isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of everything.
Healthy conflict is good and leads to better results.
Accountability needs to be peer to peer; not just the leader.
Trust isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of everything
That trust is critical to teams is common knowledge, but the meaning of trust isn’t. Many leaders say they foster trust, but when asked, they can’t articulate how they can recognize high trust teams.
Lencioni writes that high performing teams have vulnerability based trust which is different than situational based trust. Trusting you can do your job or predicting how you will react isn’t enough; I need to know that I can admit a mistake, ask for help, be honest about weaknesses and challenge ideas without fear of it later being held against me.
Teams that trust each other have difficult conversations without hurt feelings, animosity or lingering negativity.
Red Flags
These next two scenarios share examples where real trust is lacking. Do you recognize a team or your organization in either?
The Hidden Mistake: Sarah accidentally sent a report with incorrect data to a client. Instead of admitting the mistake right away, she stayed quiet, hoping no one would notice. A week later, the client caught the error, leading to frustration and extra work for the entire team. If Sarah had felt safe enough to speak up, the team could have fixed the issue quickly.
The Lone Wolf: James has been struggling with a new project but doesn’t want to ask for help because he’s afraid his coworkers will think he’s not capable. He spends twice as long figuring things out on his own, delaying the entire project. If the team had a culture where asking for help was normal, James could have saved time and stress.
A Question to Consider
When was the last time someone on your team came to you to tell you they made a mistake? If it rarely happens, how might that be holding your team back?
Healthy conflict is good and leads to better results
While many of us have negative feelings towards the word conflict, it is because we associate it with interpersonal conflict which is uncomfortable and undesirable. Lencioni frames conflict as debate, discussion and the challenge of ideas, and is not personal at all.
Evidence of productive conflict, as he describes it, includes vigorous debate and discussion focused on ideas. People are willing to say:
I disagree
A challenge I see is …
An issue with that is …
High functioning teams debate ideas and issues, not people. They are willing to vigorously disagree and debate, and not hold grudges or walk away with hurt feelings.
Red Flags
These two scenarios share examples where conflict is lacking. Do you recognize a team or your organization in either?
The Meeting Mirage: In a leadership meeting, the team discusses a major change, and everyone nods along. No one raises concerns or asks tough questions. But after the meeting, in private conversations, employees express their frustrations and doubts. Because there was no real discussion, potential issues weren’t addressed, and implementation becomes a mess.
The Quiet Exit: Mark has concerns about the company’s new strategy but doesn’t feel comfortable pushing back against his boss. Instead of voicing his perspective, he disengages, becomes less invested in his work, and eventually starts looking for a new job. A lack of open discussion led to a valuable team member quietly leaving.
A Question to Consider
Do team members feel comfortable disagreeing with each other in meetings or does real feedback happen privately after the meeting?
Accountability is about peer-to-peer; not just the leader
Managers also need to be willing to hold people accountable for deadlines, key performance indicators and expectations. If a manager lacks the fortitude to do this, then team performance suffers.
Managers can’t be the only one enforcing accountability though; it needs to feel comfortable for everyone. Accountability can be done with kindness and does not need to be heavy-handed, judgmental or angry. When you have team members supporting each other through accountability, performance improves as they work together.
Red Flags
These two scenarios share examples where accountability is lacking. Do you recognize a team or your organization in either?
The Deadline Dodge: Emily was supposed to submit a key report by Friday, but by Monday morning, it still wasn’t done. Her teammates noticed but said nothing, assuming it was the manager’s job to follow up. As a result, a client project was delayed. If team members had felt comfortable addressing it directly, they could have avoided the setback.
The Leadership Bottleneck: Maria, the team leader, is constantly chasing people down for updates, reminding them of commitments, and fixing mistakes. Instead of teammates holding each other accountable, everything falls on her shoulders. This creates frustration and burnout for the leader—and prevents the team from truly working as a unit.
A Question to Consider
If you are the leader, are you the only one holding people accountable? If so, what might change if the team took more responsibility for each other?
What’s Next?
Recognizing these challenges is the first step—but real change happens when teams take action. So, how can you start building trust, fostering healthy conflict, and creating a culture of accountability?
Deepen Your Knowledge:
Read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Get Ongoing Support:
Sign up for Leadership Toolbox for practical strategies on building a strong team
Read these blog posts
Listen to these radio shows
Read more about The Five Behaviours of a Cohesive Team
Join the Conversation: Register for Stronger Teams, Better Results webinar on April 9, 2025 from 1:30 – 2:00 pm MST
Take Action:
Book a personal assessment & training or team assessment & training to apply these principles to yourself or your team/organization
