As a Long Term Occasional Teacher, I have had the opportunity to work with various teams in different schools. Some of the teams I have been a part of or witnessed few would deem "functional" while most, on the other hand, are considered "dysfunctional".
Over the years, I have tried making sense of what it is that makes some teams work and others crumble. Recently, I came across Patrick Lencioni's work on the 5 dysfunctions of a team. According to Lencioni, all teams are potentially dysfunctional. Why? Because they are made up of imperfect human beings and unfortunately, many of us travel at the beat of our drums!
Lencioni states that there are 5 types of dysfunctions of a team:
1. Absence of Trust: If we do not trust our team members, then we dot believe in their good intentions and cannot feel safe and comfortable to reveal our own areas of weakness. Absence of trust can also occur when team members are being competitive with one another and taking care of their own interests first.
2. Fear of Conflict: Because we cannot trust each other, we do not feel comfortable debating about key issues. We need to remember that the right type of conflict is productive and even necessary in order to continue growing.
3. Lack of Commitment: There is no goal, vision and an overall lack of direction. Everyone's opinions need to be heard and decisions need to be made based on the best solution.
4. Avoidance of Accountability: Teams do not commit to a plan of action and do not hold their members accountable. It is important to demonstrate high expectations and respect for one another in terms of performance.
5. Inattention to Results: Team members lose sight of the collective goals when individuals aren't being held accountable.
I like Lencioni's framework because it gives teams a chance to rebuild and strengthen. Once you determine which dysfunctions are present within your own team, steps and measures can be taken to counter them.
In my opinion, the first 2 dysfunctions are the most common. Trust is something that takes a while to build and with today's job turnover trends when we gain trust with one team, a new member sets their foot in the door while another leaves. I also find that because everyone is so polite in Canada fear of conflict is another dysfunction that is so common as we have not yet developed the trust to speak freely with our team members without fearing misinterpretation or judgment.
In my own classroom, some of the ways I tackle team dysfunction is by creating a safe environment. I use the TRIBES program to set up an inclusive, collaborative, welcoming classroom space giving my students lots of opportunities to build trust with each other. We partake in community building activities, community circles and follow the 4 Tribe agreements : Mutual Respect, Attentive Listening, Right to Pass and Appreciations/ No Put Downs to help achieve our vision of a safe, inclusive community.
How do you try and tackle team dysfunction?
