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 best-selling 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. Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

Table of Contents

Introduction. The Fable. Luck. Part One: Underachievement. Part Two: Lighting the Fire. Part Three: Heavy Lifting. Part Four: Traction. The Model. An Overview of the Model. Team Assessment. Understanding and Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions. A Note About Time: Kathryn's Methods. A Special Tribute to Teamwork. Acknowledgments. About the Author.

About the Author

Patrick Lencioni is president of The Table Group, a San Francisco Bay Area management consulting firm, and author of the best-selling books The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive and The Five Temptations of a CEO. In addition to his work as an executive coach and consultant, Pat is a sought-after speaker. Prior to founding The Table Group, he worked at the management consulting firm Bain & Company, Oracle Corporation, and Sybase, where he was vice president of organizational development. He is on numerous advisory boards and sits on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. Over the years, Pat has worked with hundreds of executive teams and CEOs-all struggling, at one time or another, with the potential for dysfunction among their teams. Pat lives with his wife, Laura, and their twin boys, Matthew and Connor, in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can reach him at The Table Group's web site, www.tablegroup.com, or at patricklencioni@tablegroup.com.

Reviews

Lencioni (The Five Temptations of a CEO) once again uses a leadership fable to set the stage for his material, this time focusing on team dynamics. He constructs his lessons around the story of a troubled Silicon Valley firm and its board's unexpected choice for the new CEO, a female manager previously retired from a traditional manufacturing company at age 55. Lencioni describes how the leadership team failed to function as a unit and how the new boss worked to reestablish essential conduct, pointing out that while teamwork can elude the most dedicated individuals, it can be restored by an insightful leader. The second part discusses the five dysfunctions: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results; provides a questionnaire to use in evaluating teams; and explains specifics on how to help teams understand and overcome common shortcomings. The rapid-fire narration by Charles Stransky may irritate some listeners, so look instead to the hard copy of this valuable book, which nicely complements Lencioni's other worthy titles. Recommended for business collections in university and larger public libraries. Dale Farris, Groves, TX Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"Succinct yet sympathetic, this guide will be a boon for those struggling with the inherent difficulties of leading a group." "Concise and easy to follow, this book is recommended for academic and public libraries with management collections and for anyone who is a member of a team that needs improvement." (Library Journal, April 15, 2002) "...there is a lot of good sense in this book...certainly offers some useful pointers..." (Supply Management, 28 March 2002) "...is worth exploring..." (Progress, Summer 2002) "...an entertaining quick read filled with information easy to digest..." (The star online, 12 August 2003) ‘…gripping…highly recommended.' (Talent Engagement Review, June 2011).