Patrick Lencioni, in his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” identifies the five issues that most often prevent teams from functioning effectively.

Absence of Trust

This is the foundation of Lencioni’s model. Without trust, team members are unlikely to feel safe enough to be open and honest with each other. This lack of trust can stem from a fear of being vulnerable with team members and can prevent the building of trust within the team.

Fear of Conflict

Teams that lack trust are incapable of engaging in unfiltered, passionate debate about key issues, causing situations where team conflict can easily turn into personal conflict. This can lead to a lack of respect and trust within the team.

Lack of Commitment

Without conflict, it is difficult for team members to commit to decisions, creating an environment where ambiguity prevails. Lack of direction and commitment can make employees feel detached from their responsibilities, which can negatively affect the overall performance of the team.

Avoidance of Accountability

When teams don’t commit to a clear plan of action, even the most focused and driven individuals hesitate to call their peers on actions and behaviors that may seem counterproductive to the overall good of the team.

Inattention to Results

The ultimate dysfunction of a team is the tendency of members to care about something other than the collective goals of the group. An excessive focus on personal success, status, and ego can become a distraction to the team’s overall success.

Scrum as a Model for Continuous Improvement

Scrum, as a framework, provides several tools and practices that can help teams improve by overcoming the five dysfunctions.

Absence of Trust

Scrum promotes transparency and frequent communication among team members. The Daily Scrum meetings, for instance, provide a platform for team members to discuss their progress and any challenges they might be facing. This regular communication helps build trust among team members.

Fear of Conflict

Scrum encourages healthy conflict in the form of constructive discussions and debates. The Sprint Retrospective is a key event where team members can openly discuss what worked well and what didn’t in the previous sprint. This encourages open dialogue and helps to resolve conflicts in a constructive manner.

Lack of Commitment

In Scrum, the team commits to a set of goals for each sprint during the Sprint Planning meeting. This commitment is not imposed by management but is instead a result of team consensus, which fosters a sense of ownership and commitment among team members.

Avoidance of Accountability

Scrum promotes accountability in several ways. For example, during the Daily Scrum, each team member updates the team on their progress, which creates a sense of personal accountability. Additionally, the Scrum Master role is designed to foster a sense of accountability within the team by removing obstacles and facilitating Scrum practices.

Inattention to Results

Scrum focuses on delivering value to the customer through the creation of a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. This focus on results is reinforced by the Sprint Review meeting, where the team inspects the increment and adapts the Product Backlog if necessary.

Scrum’s roles, events, and artifacts all work together to create a framework that promotes trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and attention to results.

The Scrum Values and Overcoming Dysfunction

The five Scrum values - commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect - can be directly mapped to overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team. Here’s how:

Absense of Trust

Scrum Values

The Scrum value of Openness is key to overcoming this dysfunction. When team members are open about their work, their challenges, and their successes, it fosters a culture of trust. Openness in communication allows for transparency, which is the foundation of trust.

While openness is a key Scrum value to overcome the absence of trust, other Scrum values and principles from the Agile Manifesto can also contribute to building trust within a team:

Commitment

This value is about being dedicated to the team and the project. When team members show commitment to their tasks and to the team’s goals, it helps build trust among team members. They know they can rely on each other to do their part.

Courage

It takes courage to be transparent and honest, especially when things are not going well. This honesty, even in difficult times, can help build trust. It shows that team members are not hiding issues or challenges, but are willing to face them head-on.

Respect

Respect for each other’s skills, knowledge, and contribution is crucial for trust. When team members respect each other, they value each other’s input and trust each other’s decisions.

Focus

When the team is focused on the same goals, it helps build trust. It shows that everyone is working towards the same objectives and not pursuing their own agenda.

Agile Manifesto

Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools

Agile emphasizes the importance of human interactions. When team members interact effectively, it helps build relationships and trust.

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

When the team collaborates closely with the customer, it builds trust both within the team and with the customer. It shows that the team is not just interested in fulfilling a contract, but in delivering value to the customer.

Responding to Change over Following a Plan

Agile teams are adaptable and flexible. When team members show that they can adapt to changes and still deliver value, it helps build trust.

By focusing on these values and principles, teams can create an environment where trust thrives.

Fear of Conflict

Scrum Values

The Scrum value of Courage helps overcome this dysfunction. It takes courage to engage in constructive conflict and to voice differing opinions. Courage also means standing up for what is right for the product and the team, even if it leads to conflict.

Respect

Respect is crucial in managing conflict. When team members respect each other, they understand that differing opinions are not personal attacks, but are aimed at achieving the best possible outcome. This understanding can help reduce the fear of conflict.

Openness

Being open to feedback and differing opinions can help reduce the fear of conflict. When team members are open, they are not defensive about their ideas and are willing to consider other perspectives. ##### Commitment When team members are committed to the team and the project, they understand that conflict is sometimes necessary to achieve the best results. This understanding can help reduce the fear of conflict. #### Agile Manifesto ##### Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools This principle emphasizes the importance of human interactions. When team members interact effectively, they can manage conflict in a constructive manner. ##### Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation This principle encourages close collaboration with the customer. When the team and the customer work closely together, they can manage any conflicts that arise in a constructive manner. ##### Responding to Change over Following a Plan This principle emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and flexible. When team members are flexible, they can adapt to changes and manage any conflicts that arise from these changes.

By focusing on these values and principles, teams can create an environment where conflict is seen not as something to be feared, but as an opportunity for improvement and innovation.

Lack of Commitment

Scrum Values

The Scrum value of Commitment directly addresses this dysfunction. In Scrum, team members commit to achieving the team goals and delivering value to the customer. This commitment is not just about the work, but also about supporting each other as a team.

Focus

When the team is focused on the same goals, it helps build commitment. It shows that everyone is working towards the same objectives and not pursuing their own agenda.

Openness

Being open about the team’s progress, challenges, and successes can help build commitment. When team members are open, they understand the importance of their work and are more likely to commit to it.

Courage

It takes courage to commit to a goal, especially when it is challenging. Courage can help team members overcome their fears and commit to their tasks and the team’s goals.

Agile Manifesto

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

This principle emphasizes the importance of delivering working software. When team members see the results of their work, it can help build their commitment to the project.

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

This principle encourages close collaboration with the customer. When the team works closely with the customer, it can help build their commitment to delivering value to the customer.

Responding to Change over Following a Plan

This principle emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and flexible. When team members are flexible, they can adapt to changes and still commit to their tasks and the team’s goals.

By focusing on these values and principles, teams can create an environment where commitment is valued and encouraged.

Avoidance of Accountability

Scrum Values

The Scrum value of Respect can help overcome this dysfunction. When team members respect each other, they hold each other accountable for their work. They understand that everyone has a role to play in the team’s success and that each role is important.

Absolutely, let’s explore how Scrum values and Agile principles can help overcome the “Avoidance of Accountability”:

Commitment

When team members are committed to the team and the project, they are more likely to hold themselves and each other accountable. They understand the importance of their work and are committed to doing it well.

Courage

It takes courage to hold oneself and others accountable, especially when things are not going well. Courage is about being honest about the team’s progress and challenges and taking responsibility for addressing them.

Respect

When team members respect each other, they are more likely to hold each other accountable. They understand that everyone has a role to play in the team’s success and that each role is important.

Openness

Being open about the team’s progress, challenges, and successes can help foster a culture of accountability. When team members are open, they are not hiding issues or challenges, but are addressing them head-on.

Agile Manifesto

Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools

This principle emphasizes the importance of human interactions. When team members interact effectively, they can hold each other accountable in a constructive manner.

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

This principle emphasizes the importance of delivering working software. When team members see the results of their work, they are more likely to hold themselves accountable for it.

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

This principle encourages close collaboration with the customer. When the team works closely with the customer, they can hold each other accountable for delivering value to the customer.

By focusing on these values and principles, teams can create an environment where accountability is valued and encouraged.

Inattention to Results

Scrum Values

The Scrum value of Focus is key to overcoming this dysfunction. In Scrum, the team focuses on the sprint goals and on delivering a potentially shippable product increment at the end of each sprint. This focus on results ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal.

Commitment

When team members are committed to the team and the project, they are more likely to pay attention to the results. They understand the importance of their work and are committed to delivering value to the customer.

Openness

Being open about the team’s progress, challenges, and successes can help foster a focus on results. When team members are open, they are not hiding issues or challenges, but are addressing them head-on and learning from them.

Courage

It takes courage to focus on results, especially when things are not going well. Courage is about being honest about the team’s progress and challenges and taking responsibility for addressing them.

Agile Manifesto

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation

This principle emphasizes the importance of delivering working software. When team members see the results of their work, they are more likely to focus on these results and strive to improve them.

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation

This principle encourages close collaboration with the customer. When the team works closely with the customer, they can focus on delivering value to the customer, which is the ultimate result.

Responding to Change over Following a Plan

This principle emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and flexible. When team members are flexible, they can adapt to changes and still focus on delivering results.

By focusing on these values and principles, teams can create an environment where attention to results is valued and encouraged.