Five Dysfunctions and a Book Club That Never Happened

An unexpectedly educational experience in leadership, trust, and dramatic irony.

I’ve always loved the idea of a book club. A group of people getting together, discussing something meaningful, sharing different perspectives, perhaps enjoying a snack. Very wholesome. Very collaborative.

So when someone suggested Patrick Lencioni’s Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, I thought it would be the perfect first book for a little book club I was planning at work.

In retrospect, an absolutely hilarious choice.

For anyone unfamiliar, the book explores five common reasons teams struggle: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.

A charming little collection of human behavior.

What I genuinely appreciate about the book is its emphasis on trust. Real trust. The kind where people can admit mistakes, disagree, ask for help, and have uncomfortable conversations without wondering whether they’ve just written their own exit interview.

A surprisingly romantic concept, actually.

Two people who trust each other enough to be honest. Who can disagree without assuming the worst. Who communicate instead of expecting the other person to read their mind.

Remove the organizational chart, and suddenly you’ve got yourself a romantic comedy. Of course, most romantic comedies would be over in fifteen minutes if everyone simply said what they meant. But where’s the fun in that? I’ve always been a little partial to the slow burn. Especially the ones where the characters eventually figure it out.

And perhaps that’s the most interesting thing about this book. The concepts aren’t particularly complicated. Trust people. Have honest conversations. Take accountability. Work toward something together.

The complicated part, apparently, is doing them.

Anyway, the book club never happened. But I did get a rather immersive educational experience.

Book review: 4.5/5 stars. Excellent leadership advice. Practical, thoughtful, and surprisingly applicable to relationships.

Book club review: 0/5 stars. Nobody even brought snacks.

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