Module Five Dysfunctions Of A Team

Currently I’m assigned to a geographically separated unit of fourteen people. We each have our own functions and work individually much of the time; however, we still must function as a team. The shop is rather tight-knit and supportive both in and outside of work, but there are areas of team building in which we can improve. For this reason, Team Dynamics is the concept I chose to explore from Module five.

Although the members of our team are close, we are not immune to the Five Common Dysfunctions of a Team, which are Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict, Lack of Commitment, Avoidance of Accountability, and Inattention to Results. These five dysfunctions are behaviors commonly displayed by members of a team that can lead to conflict and/or render the team ineffective. The dysfunction that occasionally emerges within our work center is Avoidance of Accountability.

Due to the considerably autonomous nature of our work, accountability is imperative to mission success but unfortunately avoidance of accountability still occurs from time-to-time within our shop. The problem with this dysfunction going unchecked is that it can bring down the morale of those working hard to complete their duties, which can, and has led conflict among team members. It can cause other members on the team, especially newly assigned instructors, to lose motivation. While I do monitor my subordinates to ensure they don’t fall into this trap, I’m guilty of neglecting to address the issue with my peers and superiors, even when I knew it caused distress among other instructors. Combined with the interpersonal communication skills addressed in my previous development plan, I intend to confront this problem using another facet of team dynamics—the Five C’s of a