Today’s recommendation comes from the field of business. This volume is now a few years old, but it has never failed to get a “Thank you” from people to whom I’ve recommended it. The name of the book is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni.
From a review by Howard Rothman:
Lencioni weaves his lessons around the story of a troubled Silicon Valley firm and its unexpected choice for a new CEO: an old-school manager who had retired from a traditional manufacturing company two years earlier at age 55. Showing exactly how existing personnel failed to function as a unit, and precisely how the new boss worked to reestablish that essential conduct, the book’s first part colorfully illustrates the ways that teamwork can elude even the most dedicated individuals–and be restored by an insightful leader. A second part offers details on Lencioni’s “five dysfunctions” (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results), along with a questionnaire for readers to use in evaluating their own teams and specifics to help them understand and overcome these common shortcomings. This is highly recommended.
If you are involved in group meetings at work, group ministry at church, or group projects at a volunteer group, this book is absolutely indispensable for getting and keeping everyone moving forward.
