How to Operate Dysfunctional Teams

Given that there could potentially be 300 million "people" managers out there, globally, extrapolating from Mckinsey workforce estimates, the importance of teams is without question. Lencione, in his book, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, talks about trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results as key determinants of collective success.

In this edition of Leadership Learnings, we speak with Himanshu Patel, Associate Director of Delivery Management at Signant Health , as he talks about how he uses accountability and metrics to lead teams.

Ferdie: What management or leadership principle did you pick up from this article, book, or experience that would help others seeking professional growth?

Himanshu: In order to have a high functioning team all 5 areas need to be addressed. The team leader needs to have buy in from all the team members and each team member must understand the concepts of Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability and Results. When a team invests in resolving absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results, they can truly perform at a higher level. It starts at the foundation with trust and without that the team cannot work their way through the other 4 dysfunctions.

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Ferdie: Which of the five do you believe is most important?

Himanshu: While teamwork remains the ultimate competitive advantage because it is so powerful and rare, I believe that Trust is the foundation of real teamwork. Members need to understand and open up to each other. Without this a team member may hesitate to ask for help or conceal their weaknesses. They may also avoid specific members of a team due to lack of trust.

Two top software developers on my team come to mind when we talk about trust. Given their experience and excellent engineering skills paired with their inherent ability to be open to others’ ideas I have full faith and trust in them. This virtuous cycle of listening, learning, and incorporating has allowed both individuals to elevate the performance of the team.

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Ferdie: Lack of commitment is another dysfunction identified in the book. How do you ensure a shared vision and priorities within your team?

Himanshu: High-performing teams need a clear sense of direction, echoing the significance of shared vision and priorities. Commitment to transparent communication and inclusive decision-making processes ensures our team remains focused. This prevents revisiting discussions and maintains a collective commitment to organizational goals.

It must be accentuated, too, that commitment breeds accountability, and one of my managers has been my role model in this aspect. Not only the humility but his ability to see beyond just the team but look at all problems through the lens of the company is impressive. He holds everyone to such a high standard that it evokes the same of his direct reports.

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Ferdie: Talk to us about results, or rather the attention to them. As an organization your group is known to measure things. Why is that important?

Himanshu: Key results are a team metric and should be put above all individual goals. The collective ego of the team should always be greater than an individual’s ego. Politics within an organization can lead an individual to focus on their own goals rather than the goals of the team and this can be destructive.

Moreover, inattention to results hampers team success. At Signant Health, we prioritize collective achievements over individual pursuits. This is the inspiration for creating Team Scorecards that we review quarterly. It has been said that to improve performance people need two things: A scoreboard to measure performance, and the knowledge that they have what it takes to impact the score.

Ferdie: As a manager what three things would you advise those aspiring for professional growth to do?

Himanshu: For those aspiring to further their careers, I offer three pieces of advice. Firstly, observe and learn from team members in higher roles, discerning their approaches to work. This way of learning, as I have experienced, provides valuable insights into elevating one's own professional practice. Secondly, engage with peers at the same organizational level, exchanging methodologies and refining daily routines for enhanced levels of effectiveness. Lastly, go beyond the confines of your role, questioning the broader significance of assigned tasks and exploring cross-role efficiencies to elevate overall team performance.

Ferdie: Let’s end this conversation on a charitable note. If you won the lottery tomorrow in a way that will make you financially independent, what would you do next?

Himanshu: I would volunteer to help kids. I am always amazed at how kids' minds work and especially in the world today with all the technology in place. It is incredibly rewarding for me to see kids learn and grow and the joy on their faces when they achieve something. I also know that not all kids have the stability of family or a parental figure in their lives and that is one reason I would volunteer to be someone influential in a kid’s life or simply to be able to put a smile on their face. I have also been told that I have a lot of patience when dealing with children and hence this would benefit me in a volunteering opportunity.

There you have it! A focus on measuring results and trusting your teammates are core principles that Himanshu and all aspiring managers must embody to achieve great leadership.