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Amazon.com Review Once again using an astutely written fictional tale to unambiguously but painlessly deliver some hard truths about critical business procedures, Patrick Lencioni targets group behavior in the final entry of his trilogy of corporate fables. And like those preceding it, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is an entertaining, quick read filled with useful information that will prove easy to digest and implement. This time, Lencioni weaves his lessons around the story of a troubled Silicon Valley firm and its unexpected choice for a new CEO: an old-school manager who had retired from a traditional manufacturing company two years earlier at age 55. Showing exactly how existing personnel failed to function as a unit, and precisely how the new boss worked to reestablish that essential conduct, the book's first part colorfully illustrates the ways that teamwork can elude even the most dedicated individuals--and be restored by an insightful leader. A second part offers details on Lencioni's "five dysfunctions" (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), along with a questionnaire for readers to use in evaluating their own teams and specifics to help them understand and overcome these common shortcomings. Like the author's previous books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, this is highly recommended. --Howard Rothman
Product Description After her first two weeks observing the problems at DecisionTech, Kathryn Petersen, its new CEO, had more than a few moments when she wondered if she should have taken the job. But Kathryn knew there was little chance she would have turned it down. After all, retirement made her antsy, and nothing excited her more than a challenge. What she could not have known when she accepted the job, however, was just how dysfunctional her team was, and how team members would challenge her in ways no one ever had before.
In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two bestselling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.
Know in advance if you're getting into a job with a great team dynamic!December 1, 2008 `The Five Dysfunctions of a Team' highlights the difference between an effective team and one that just isn't working. Patrick Lencioni explains that the five dysfunctions include an absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention. He uses an example of a collapsing firm to demonstrate these problems.
After reading this book, recognizing whether or not any group you are involved or will be involved in is a functional one will be a fast realization.
On an individual level, knowing what you can do to make a team function more effectively can be a valuable skill to bring to the table. Knowing how to recognize a team you want to be involved in or not is also a must when seeking a new workplace.
Danny Iny Author of the free eBook "Forget Everything You Know About Looking For a Job... And Actually Find One!" HuntingToHired, www.HuntingToHired.com
A Great TaleNovember 30, 2008 I was skeptical when I bought this book as it was for a teamwork course I had in B-school, and I was not too thrilled with the course itself to begin with. However, I finished reading this book within 48 hours of having recieved it. Lencioni presents his theory on the five dysfunctions in a compelling story that takes us through the experiences of a new chief executive aiming to turnaround a company. Written clearly, the book helped me understand the concepts described much better as I could easily relate to my own experiences at work and school. A great book!
The go to book on teamworkNovember 18, 2008 The five dysfunctions of a team using an allegory of a team that is going through the challenges in working together effectively that you often see in group settings (and even more so in cross-functional teams in corporate America). What's great about this book is the story is believable and the solutions provided are easily applied in your own work. Oh, I should also mention that they really do work effectively to improve relationships among your team and, ultimately, the group's performance.
Very inspirationalNovember 16, 2008 This book is a must have for rooting out dysfunctional dynamics in team situations. The ideas are simple and somewhat common sense. That is probably why we as humans often ignore the signs. I recommend this to anybody who want to maximize the potential of their team. It is a very quick read.
Great lessons woven into a short storyNovember 14, 2008 I really enjoyed listening to this on the CD edition. The author makes the plot interesting without too much unnecessary fluff. Almost everything in the story has some bearing on the lesson point being conveyed.
The characters are very contemporary - one uses his laptop during meetings, another is very judgmental, another one too quiet, etc. The protaganist, Kathryn is a team building leader - very reflective and results oriented. She knows she needs to do the leg work to make a team before the real results start tallying up. This is more important than her trying to be just one more product expert or financial wizard. She gets pressure from the board of directors, her direct reports and other sources. She is not perfect but she is terrific. Great model of how an executive should be.
The team goes through the usual roller coaster ride of present day corporate life - opportunities to acquire competitors, opportunities to be acquired, pressing sales calls that could theoretically change the whole game, employee distractions, etc.
My favorite lesson from the book is the cascading messages. Meetings are usually about decisions, but those decisions are not firm enough until the message to communicate the decision is concrete. This usually invokes more debate since it crystalizes the decision in a way that the team must agree upon since they will deliver it. This one thing would substantially improve many of the meetings I attend. And I intend to start using it.
There is a good summary of the five dysfunctions given as regular discourse, outside the story, at the end of the book.
This book is new generation business management writing at its best.
