Team Dysfunction is a Leadership Problem

Are you experiencing missed deadlines, poor collaboration, or tension in meetings? If so, you do not have a people problem–instead, you have a leadership problem.

?? Team dysfunction is always a reflection of leadership.

If you fail to address it early and head-on, dysfunction will quietly—and sometimes not so quietly—result in:

• Lost productivity
• Turnover of top talent
• Frustrated customers
• Stalled growth

The truth that no one likes to acknowledge is that team dysfunction will not fix itself. It compounds—until it becomes a culture problem, not just a team problem.

The 5 Critical Areas Where Team Dysfunction Begins

Based on The Five Behaviors? model by Patrick Lencioni, here are the 5 key areas where dysfunction creeps in:

Absence of Trust

• People are reluctant to speak up in meetings.
• No one admits mistakes or asks for help.
• Fix: Leaders should model vulnerability—admit wrongdoing, ask for input, and show humility.

Fear of Conflict

• Everyone plays nice, but nothing challenging gets discussed.
• Critical issues get avoided.
• Fix: Create a safe space for healthy debate—invite differing opinions and reward open candor.

Lack of Commitment

• People leave the meeting unclear or uncommitted.
• You might hear, "We’ll see what happens," instead of, "Let’s make it happen!"
• Fix: Clarify decisions, owners, and next steps—and check for alignment before moving on.

Avoidance of Accountability

• Poor performance or behaviors go unchecked.
• Deadlines get missed, and no one says anything.
• Fix: Build peer-to-peer accountability, not just from the top down—set clear expectations and hold people to them.

Inattention to Results

• Personal agendas take priority over team goals.
• Everyone stays in their lane with no cross-functional ownership.
• Fix: Set shared goals that are clear, measurable, and owned by the team—not just individuals.

Leaders—this starts with you.

I tell every CEO and leadership team I work with: You cannot outsource team health.

As a leader, you set the tone for how your team works together and performs overall, how conflict gets handled, and what accountability looks like. Your team will follow what you tolerate and what you model, so if dysfunction is present, own it and get to work on the fix.

Where to Start if You See Team Dysfunction

If you notice the signs of dysfunction in your team, start here:

Acknowledge It.

• Bring it up to the team. Call out what you see and open the door for honest conversation.

Model the Behavior You Want.

• Be vulnerable. Be open about what is and is not working. Ask for feedback.

Reset Expectations.

• Get crystal clear on what success looks like, who owns what, and how to hold each other accountable.

?Healthy Teams = High-Performance Teams

I have seen this over and over:

• Dysfunctional teams do not execute well.
• Healthy teams move fast, solve problems, and win together.

Do you want to scale? Do you want to hit aggressive growth targets?

Start by fixing the team dynamics that are holding you back.

?? Your turn: what is one team dynamic you wish you could improve right now?

Comment or message me. I would love to hear more about the team dynamics you are experiencing.

If you are ready to tackle these issues, learn more, and build a high-performing leadership team–let’s connect. https://russoleadership.com/schedule-your-appointment

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