As I read this book I discovered:

1. A vocabulary I can use with my team to discuss dysfunction.
2. A self-analysis that will get the discussion started.
3. A clear model for implementation.

As a team leader, this book challenged me to:

1) Lead selflessly
2) Take risks
3) Encourage conflict
4) Embrace the power of meetings
4) Direct my team around a common theme

This book is simple, practical and filled with wisdom. Highly recommended.


Very practical and insightful!   December 26, 2002
 117 out of 129 found this review helpful

This is a genuinely significant book for anyone who works in a team environment, whether at work, in sports, in the community, at home, etc. Of all the business books I have read on team building, "Five Dysfunctions" stands at the top of the pack. The strength of this book lies in the fact that it gets at the ROOTS of team failure. Anyone who has been forced to go through corporate "team building" sessions and sing with their fellow co-workers knows that it is an approach that doesn't work! The principles presented in "Five Dysfunctions" are solid and will get results.

The organization of "Five Dysfunctions" is as follows. The bulk of the book comprises of an extended fictitious example of a dysfunctional group, and slowly works through the underlying principles. These principles are then succinctly presented in the last few pages of the book, along with further analysis and suggestions on implementation. This organization allows the principles to slowly sink in through the book, but then gives the reader a very focused section the use for later reference and review.

A great strength of the book is that it avoids the all-too-frequent tendency of creating tension and then resolving it more quickly than would happen in real life. Reading the story gives you a sense of the effort needed to work through the dysfunctions of a team. The tools are presented to the reader, but without the illusion of a quick fix. Rather, "Five Dysfunctions" gives a simple message that inspires, energizes, and creates a vision of hope for how thing could be in a team.

One "a-ha" experience I had while reading this book is that some of the teams I have been on - teams where we all got along just fine - shared at least some of the five dysfunctions which made them less than effective. While these teams were quite accomplished at the superficial types of team building activities that are so popular, we avoided the core issues that Lencioni discusses in his book.

This book is one that I will review often, and recommend to anyone.


Finally! Another VERY helful and applicable management book!   October 22, 2003
 33 out of 37 found this review helpful

By dedicating 90% of his book to a so-called leadership fable, Patrick Lencioni very effectively conveys the very essence of the model he proposes in order to deal with dysfunctional teams. Though the story he presents is that of a hypothetical newly appointed CEO of a distressed start-up and (in the beginning of the story) her highly dysfunctional executive team, the model is perfectly applicable to any team throughout most organizations.

The model consists of a pyramid with the five dysfunctions of a team (from the bottom, up):
1) Absence of trust: stemming from an unwillingness in the team members to be vulnerable and genuinely open up with one another about their mistakes and weaknesses.
2) Fear of conflict: inability to engage in unfiltered, passionate (yet constructive, though it may strike you as odd) debate.
3) Lack of commitment: no buy in and commitment can be expected when ideas and opinions have not been aired and genuinely taken into consideration prior to a decision.
4) Avoidance of accountability: without commitment to a clearly defined set of goals, team members will hesitate to call their colleagues on their actions and behaviors that are counterproductive for the team.
5) Inattention to results: Lencioni brings it all home through the realization that avoidance of accountability leads to a state where team members tend to put their individual needs above the team's collective goals.

Throughout the last leg of his book, Lencioni contrasts how dysfunctional teams behave by comparing them to a cohesive team in the case of each of the five dysfunctions. He also provides suggestions on overcoming each of the dysfunctions and insights into the role of the leader in this process, all in a very structured and to-the-point way. Complementing this, he provides a Team Assessment tool to help determine where your team is at in terms of each of the five elements of the model.

As much as the book can be digested without too much trouble in 2-3 straight hours, it is inevitable (unless you are fooling yourself or you operate in a very healthy team) to have your managerial wheels in your mind turning at full speed by the time you are done with it. As a manager and an avid reader, I welcomed this book with open arms because I found it to be very useful and readily applicable. Now comes my challenge in putting it to use.


Almost pointless...   April 7, 2006
 23 out of 34 found this review helpful

If Lencioni's theory had any credence, it should have been been presented as a case study, not a made up fable that force-fits his premise into a completely over-simplified world-view.

It's VERY obvious that Lencioni is a consultant, or "business coach." Basically someone that doesn't have a real job, and doesn't have to actually work or interact in the real companies that he "builds teams" in.

If there was any exec of ANY size company that was as one dimensional or simplistic as the ones presented here, then this work may have some credence. However, that's not the case.

I call B.S. on 80% of the points made by this book. Again, if Lencioni actually has some concrete examples of how this touchy-feely tripe has actually resulted in measurable success in a large, for profit, organization, bring it on in a case study where people can learn from it, and emulate it.

As it is, this book has zero affective real-world application.

As a side bar, I find the general tinge of a quasi-corporate socialism telling. The idea that somehow the theoretically highly qualified, skilled, sought-after execs this book seeks to influence would be willing to subjugate their own personal self interest for the collective good foolish and naive.

If a corporation can not make it's optimal outcome also allow the optimal outcome for the individuals involved, no amount of "off-sites", business coaches, etc. are going to do anything.

And the idea that a high-tech startup's execs would pass up an over-valued buyout and cash in is _preposterous_!


A Project Management Professional   May 27, 2002
 22 out of 25 found this review helpful

One of the most difficult challenges when starting a new project is forming a team ready to row in the same direction to achieve project objectives. I have long searched for a tool to overcome this challenge and have found just what I need in Patrick Lencioni's new book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. His easy to read style of writing allows readers to grasp the material quickly. The story of a new CEO unfolds in the first five minutes and keeps unfolding until one is finished with the book at around ninety minutes. I found my answers in "The Model" which follows the fable. This book will be on my desk for easy reference every time a new project is started, for this book is an absolute must for project managers as well as CEO's.