Introduction
Building a cohesive team is crucial in achieving strategic objectives in business. Teamwork is the single most influential factor that gives an organization the ultimate competitive advantage (Lencioni, 2002). However, the process of building the team is difficult and complex. Dysfunctions of the group are examples of the challenges that make the process challenging. Lencioni (2002) identified five dysfunctions of a team that undermines building a cohesive workforce in an organization. The author also highlighted different approaches that organizations can use to overcome these dysfunctions. Fear of conflict and lack of commitment are examples of dysfunctions that Lencioni (2002) discusses in the book. Analyzing these issues will demonstrate the importance of addressing and avoiding them at the leadership level.
Importance of Addressing Fear of Conflict and Lack of Commitment
Fear of conflict and lack of commitment are dysfunctions that leaders encounter when building cohesive teams. Failure to engage in open discussions and debates due to fear of conflict inhibits communication, expression, and presentation of helpful ideas (Lencioni, 2002). This dysfunction stems from a lack of trust, whereby team members fail to trust each other with important information about each other’s weaknesses and mistakes. As a result, mistakes are underreported and remain unaddressed, leading to chronic poor performance and potential client dissatisfaction. Failure to engage in productive conflict leads to delays in deriving the best solutions to the teams’ problems (Lencioni, 2002). Therefore, leaders must address this dysfunction to enhance problem resolution, reduce dangerous tension, encourage creativity, and improve efficiency.
Leaders play vital roles in preventing and addressing fear of conflict. As a leader, I would address this dysfunction by encouraging healthy competition, practicing restraint, and modeling appropriate conflict behavior (Lencioni, 2002). Encouraging healthy conflict would help the team members to develop the proper healthy coping mechanisms, while practicing restraint would allow the team members to create natural resolution techniques that do not escalate issues. Modeling appropriate behavior by engaging in debates would set an excellent example for the team to emulate.
Lack of commitment is the other dysfunction common in teams. The problem builds from fear of conflict and is characterized by failure to buy-in and commit to decisions (Lencioni, 2002). A workforce that lacks commitment feigns agreement but does not engage productively in activities they haven’t bought into. As a result, they become unproductive and unwilling to cooperate with the rest of the team. This dysfunction emanates from a desire for consensus and a need for certainty (Lencioni, 2002). However, consensus and certainty are impossible to achieve when more than one person is involved in decision-making. Lack of commitment causes ambiguity, lack of confidence and fear of failure, redundancy in decision-making, and second-guessing (Lencioni, 2002). Therefore, leaders must develop strategies to lead and address this dysfunction within their teams.
There are several strategies that leaders can use to address this dysfunction. Lencioni (2002) recommended cascading messaging as one of the approaches that leaders can utilize to address the lack of commitment. The strategy involves reviewing critical decisions explicitly within the team and agreeing on what the leaders must communicate to the employees (Lencioni, 2002). I would adopt this strategy because it is free and easy to implement. Cascading messaging enables team members to recognize disagreements and concur on a single message to convey to the rest of the team after meetings (). Agreement reduces the risk of confusion and promotes cohesion among the leaders. I would use this strategy to ensure that all team members are aligned and avoid sending contradictory and inconsistent messages to the rest of the staff.
Creative Solutions and Leadership Traits for Avoiding Regular Dysfunctions
Sometimes, preventing and addressing the common dysfunctions of a team requires creativity and unconventional approaches. As a leader, I would implement the solutions that Lencioni (2002) recommends, coupled with personal creative strategies. For example, I would practice courage and tact, which would help address the fear of conflict. I would courageously and tactfully introduce emotional debates to the team and encourage them to discuss them civilly. These creative solutions would help the team learn how to communicate during disagreements while allowing them to participate in controversial topics beneficial to organizational growth. I would also introduce incentives to encourage the exploitation of ideas and natural resolution of conflicts. This approach would build confidence in the team members, ensuring that they do not shy away from sharing their ideas for fear of competition.
Conclusion
Dysfunctions of a team can potentially undermine the competitiveness and productivity of a firm. Fear of conflict and lack of commitment are some of the dysfunctions that undermine team cohesiveness. Analyzing the two dysfunctions revealed the importance of preventing their occurrence in the workplace. For example, fear of conflict prevents employees from presenting creative ideas that can help the organization progress and achieve its objectives. Similarly, lack of commitment causes loss of direction and failure to exploit opportunities. The analysis also revealed that leaders play a critical role in addressing these dysfunctions, as they set the pace for conflict resolution and demonsrating commitment.
Reference
Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team. Jossey-Bass Imprint.