In the introduction to his landmark work, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Patrick Lencioni declares, quite forthrightly, "Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare." Is he right? Well, think G.E. under Jack Welch; Apple under Steve Jobs; the New York Yankees from 1918 until today. The best teams have an uncanny knack for superior performance--that can't be an accident. Maybe we can conclude that regardless of the circumstances, high-functioning leadership teams will more often than not find the right financing, develop the right strategy, adopt the best technology. They will also attract the best talent, further enhancing the team. Why? Because high-functioning leadership teams know who they are, share trust, core values and aims.
Whatever the endeavour, where this is no teamwork, the work becomes drudgery and success like pulling teeth. Most everyone has experienced being on such a team; it's not a pleasant experience. Maybe you're on one now, or maybe you're part of a team that could be better with a little tinkering. It's for you and your team that Lencioni developed his Building Winning Teams seminar, which returns to HSM October 26-27. Designed for the participation of managers and their teams (though individuals can derive equal benefit), the program starts from the fundamental premise that effective teamwork is the bedrock of organizational success.
Lencioni employs a hands-on style that begins with the intimate nature of the seminar. Limited to 150 participants, it requires teams to take a hard look inward by guiding them to an understanding of the five dysfunctions that can hinder performance and by helping you to identify them in your team. If that sounds like it can include some discomfort, Lencioni would say so be it. Or as he puts it, "All too often, team leaders and members operate under the assumption that success is dependent on never having to deal with a moment of interpersonal awkwardness or pain." That is,
[e]very great team must suffer a little, and sometimes a lot, in order to achieve greatness. It must confront, experience and struggle with uncomfortable and relationship-threatening moments of conflict and confusion, and then it must work through those moments by demonstrating interpersonal courage, persistence and forgiveness. By doing so, it establishes levels of trust that simply cannot be otherwise achieved.
For a little taste of classic Patrick Lencioni, check out his last appearance at World Business Forum, in 2009, where he discussed the four disciplines of a healthy organization:
Building a team is about confronting and overcoming the dysfunctions in your organization and realigning it around its core purpose, values and business. And in two days, Lencioni leads you to do just that. The seminar's breakout sessions reinforce the lessons by providing practical structure to address and evaluate, individually or with your colleagues, the issues relevant to you and your organization. In addition, all attendees receive a copy of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable.
Patrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, Inc., a specialized management consulting firm focused on executive team development and organizational health. He has been described by Ken Blanchard, author of the business classic The One Minute Manager®, as “fast defining the next generation of business thinkers.” Lencioni has worked with Southwest Airlines, New York Life, Microsoft, Charles Schwab, Amazon.com, Sam’s Club, Cisco Systems, the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and FedEx, among others. To join him October 26-27, register for Building Winning Teams today.
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