Patrick Lencioni and found this article entitled, Conquer Team Dysfunction. In the article, Lencioni shares that all teams are potentially dysfunctional and that facing this dysfunction, politics and confusion is critical. Typically, in meetings, we avoid dealing with these. To address that, he suggests asking a few “simple” questions (the answer to each should be “Yes”):

1. Do team members openly and readily disclose their opinions?
2. Are team meetings compelling and productive?
3. Does the team come to decisions quickly and avoid getting bogged down by consensus?
4. Do team members confront one another about their shortcomings?
5. Do team members sacrifice their own interests for the good of the team?

He then shares 5 dysfunctions addressed by the questions, including absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. A quick point…in many meetings, there’s the idea that conflict is to be minimized, that the role of the meeting facilitator is to smooth out the ruffled feathers. However, the thrust of Death by Meeting and Conquer Team Dysfunction is to be unafraid of conflict, to seek it out and to put it on the table. Lencioni shares:

…CEOs who go to great lengths to avoid conflict often do so believing that they are strengthening their teams by avoiding destructive disagreement. This is ironic, because what they are really doing is stifling productive conflict and pushing important issues that need to be resolved under the carpet where they will fester. Eventually, those unresolved issues transform into uglier and more personal discord when executives grow frustrated at what they perceive to be repeated problems.

Lencioni shares 4 types of meeting that can help take the monotony out of meetings, and making them more dramatic and effective. There has to be a willingness to engage in ideological debate

4 types of meetings are recommended:

1. Daily Check-In: Team leaders stand up and report for 5 minutes on what their priorities are for that day. It helps eliminate the need for emails regarding schedule conflicts. Challenges will be to get team members make it part of routine.
2. Weekly Tactical: Regular meetings on tactical issues of immediate concern. Mandatory attendance at 45 minutes. It includes these elements:
   Lightning Round: Where people indicate their 2-3 priorities for the week within 60 seconds per person. It sets the tone for the meeting, giving participants actual sense of what everyone is doing. Avoid lots of detail.
   Progress Review : Review progress relating to key metrics relating to success. No longer than 4-5 minutes. Underlying issues discussion should be avoided here.
   Agenda: Agenda is not set ahead of time, or based on the leader’s best guess of what’s going on. Important topics will be easy to identify. Tactical issues to be addressed to ensure long-term objectives will be addressed. Obstacles need to be addresed.
3. Monthly Strategic: Most important type of meeting and fun. Executives wrestle and debate fundamental issues. Allow execs to dive into a topic or two. The length will vary based on the topic, but should last around 2 hours. These should occur regularly, whether once a month or every six weeks. Time must be scheduled for these meetings. Research should be done ahead of these meetings to ensure everyone has done research. Ad-hoc Strategic Meeting: Meeting to address a specific issue brought up during weekly tactical.
4. Quarterly off-site Review: Effective off-site meetings allow execs time to reflect and review. Comprehensive strategy review, reassess strategic direction, spot trends that may have been obscured by daily activities. Avoid exotic locations because the purpose isn’t to entertain.

This openness to engage in conflict during meetings is refreshing. “Put the skunk on the table.” That’s why blogging is so powerful…it enables us to put the skunks on the table.

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure