Welcome to Team-Effectiveness.com, the DevelopPEOPLE home of The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

Based upon the best selling book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni

The single most untapped advantage is teamwork.

To gain this advantage, teams must:

1. Trust One Another

Members of great teams trust one another on a fundamental, emotional level, and they are comfortable being vulnerable with each other about their weaknesses, mistakes, fears, and behaviors. They get to a point at which they can be completely open with one another, without filters.

2.  Engage in Conflict Around Ideas

Members of teams who trust one another are not afraid to engage in conflict around ideas that are key to the organization’s success. They do not hesitate to disagree with, challenge, and question each other, all in the spirit of finding the best answers, discovering the truth, and making great decisions.

3. Commit to Decisions

Teams that engage in conflict around ideas are able to gain commitment to decisions, even when various members of the team initially disagree. That is because they ensure that all opinions and ideas are put on the table and considered, giving confidence to team members that no stone has been left unturned.

4.  Hold One Another Accountable

Teams that gain commitment to decisions and standards of performance do not hesitate to hold one another accountable for adhering to those decisions and standards. What’s more, they don’t rely on the team leader as the primary source of accountability; they go directly to their peers.

5.  Focus on Achieving Collective Results

Team members who trust one another, engage in conflict around ideas, gain commitment to decisions, and hold one another accountable are more likely to set aside their individual needs and agendas and focus on achieving collective results. They do not give in to the temptation to place their departments, career aspirations, or ego-driven status ahead of the collective results that define team success.