A dysfunctional team is a common reason why a company fails to perform well. Some time ago, I resigned from a privately held company here in Sacramento. Prior to my departure one of the two owners asked me why I was leaving. I said the primary reason was a difference in core values between the company and myself. The owner wanted me to be more specific. I said his company had a very dysfunctional team. He pushed me for more details. And I responded with the following thoughts.

According to Patrick Lencioni, author of "The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team":

Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.

• absence of trust (invulnerability);
• fear of conflict (artificial harmony);
• lack of commitment (ambiguity);
• avoidance of accountability (low standards);
• inattention to results (status and ego).

Do you see any of these traits or behaviors with your team? Do you want to build a better functioning team? I suggest you read Lencioni's book. It is a two hour read and provides great insight on team building.

Back to my former employer. I do regret one thing. Rather than attempting to fix the dysfunctional team, I simply quit. I felt the relationship had killed too many of my brain cells. Perhaps I should have stepped up to the challenge and attempted to build a better team. My mistake. I guess that's how we grow and learn. I am better for the experience and am happily employed today.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive