• Hi, I’m Brad Abare

  I'm a make-it-happen guy working with big idea people. I design teams and orchestrate strategy so that great ideas I believe in get done.
  
  I am Jamaica's husband, Foursquare's comm director, Personality's founder, and a catalyst for CFCC.
  
  
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I just finished another Kindle book by Patrick M. Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. I enjoyed Lencioni’s Three Signs of a Miserable Job so much I knew I’d like this one.

The five dysfunctions are really basic:

1. Absence of Trust, no one is open or vulnerable
2. Fear of Conflict, incapable of engaging in unfiltered and passionate debate of ideas
3. Lack of Commitment, no buy-in because trust and healthy conflict are lacking
4. Avoidance of Accountability, no commitment to a plan means nothing to measure
5. Inattention to Results, no individual accountability means collective goals are dormant

Another way to look at the five dysfunctions is next to their evil cover up. The dysfunctions look less dysfunctional because they disguise themselves in what most of us would dismiss as petty weaknesses.

1. Lack of Trust is because of Invulnerability
2. Fear of Conflict creates and Artificial Harmony
3. Lack of Commitment fosters Ambiguity
4. Avoidance of Accountability means Low Standards
5. Inattention to Results leaves room for Status and Ego

So with my teams, I am resolving to turn these dysfunctions upside down:

1. We will trust one another
2. We will engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas
3. We will commit to decisions and plans of action
4. We will hold one another accountable for delivering those plans
5. We will focus on the achievement of collective results

This won’t always be easy, but we can do it!

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