How Vulnerability and Trust Strengthen Teams: Lessons from Patrick Lencioni

I recently watched a recorded training of Patrick Lencioni, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," about the importance of building a team on the foundations of vulnerability and accountability. Having an effective team isn’t just about working with people from 9-5, you really need to trust them. Patrick Lencioni shared, “If one member of the team cannot be vulnerable, it’s going to spread like a disease to the rest of the team.”

In high school, I was part of a team that competed in an environmental competition. As we studied and prepared for the event, we got to know each other and learned to trust one another. We were each accountable for coming prepared in the specific areas of expertise assigned to us. We weren’t just teammates; we became close friends, sharing responsibility for both our successes and failures.

In contrast, I’ve been in situations where I disagreed with a team but didn’t speak up, allowing my opinions to fester. This is what Lencioni refers to as the “Fear of Conflict.” Based on the recorded training, I want to be more “willing to confront difficult situations.” I believe that doing so will make me a better leader and teammate.

Patrick Lencioni effectively applied his leadership principles to real-life situations I’ve encountered. He helped me, as the viewer, understand that uncomfortable things like vulnerability, constructive conflict, and accountability are key practices that separate successful teams from those that fail. He advised that “the leader must go first” when it comes to vulnerability.

This video taught me that being honest about my weaknesses and insecurities in a team setting can be the catalyst for building an even more unified team.