A group of people involved in everyday activity and connected by the same goal might be called a team. Therefore, the team assessment, according to the five dysfunctions introduced and discussed by Lencioni (2006), might be applied to any situation involving such a group. In my life, I am interacting with many people, with whom I engage in team relationships. For this assignment, I will analyze and assess a situation from my personal life, while communicating with my family on the planning of a trip. The knowledge about the five dysfunctions of a team I acquired from this week’s reading allows me to assess my family situation from a critical and informed position. In such a manner, I will be able to find a solution to better team building and goal achievement.
Any team encounters significant problems that obstruct its effective performance and successful goal achievement. According to Lencioni (2006), there are five pitfalls of teamwork, namely the absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. When showing positive results in any of these dysfunctions, the team fails to perform effectively. To build a successful team, its members should cultivate trust in peers and engage in open negotiations to intensify the connections between reality and expectations.
When applied to my situation of planning a trip with my family, Lencioni’s (2006) framework reveals several problems. My family members and I tend to argue when negotiating about the destination, the duration, and the financial side of our trip. From the perspective of the second and third dysfunctions (fear of conflict and lack of commitment), our team shows a high level of commitment and a low level of fear of conflict. This assumption is justified by the presence of open discussions and the willingness to arrive at a commonly accepted decision. However, several family members demonstrate a lack of trust in others’ decision-making. For example, my willingness to be responsible for buying tickets is doubted due to the lack of trust in my responsibility. At the same time, there is no distribution of duties and responsibilities as per the various organizational aspects concerning the trip. We tend to consult each other on every aspect without specifically allocating a responsible person for a separate process, such as buying tickets, planning sightseeing, and others. This implies our avoidance of accountability because, without the fear of conflict, we tend to complain about each other’s ideas continuously. Finally, in the process of discussion, our team is concentrated on the process of planning rather than on the result, which is the trip. Thus, there are significant dysfunctions in the team, which need to be fixed for the effectiveness of the negotiation.
In conclusion, the five dysfunctions of a team introduced by Lencioni (2006) provide a solid ground for the analysis of negotiations and conflict in a group in a real-life situation. As the assessment of my family situation shows, we are good at conflict management and have a high level of commitment. However, the elevated level of absence of trust, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results diminish the effectiveness of my family’s negotiations about the trip planning. It is important to direct the communication according to the results anticipated by all members of the team. Also, we should improve the process of responsibility allocation for each team member to facilitate accountability. More informed decision-making in the team will increase the level of trust and make our negotiation more effective.
Reference
Lencioni, P. (2006). The five dysfunctions of a team. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.