Why World Class Teams Fail & How to Avoid It: A Mental Model on Building a Collaborative Team

This is the final installment of a three part series on cultivating a spirit of solidarity on your team.

According to St. John Paul II, solidarity is “a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.”

So far, we’ve addressed creative communication and humble leadership as key components to a spirit of solidarity in your workplace. If you can lead your team through example, empower them to fulfill clearly defined roles, and communicate effectively as a leader, then you’re halfway there.

But what happens when the dots don’t connect? What happens when your team members don’t work together?

We’re adapting and expanding on Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” to show you some hurdles that can cause even groups of world-class, high-caliber individuals to fail as a team. And how you can avoid them. 

Inability to address and work through conflict 

Lencioni argues that teams sometimes fail because they fear conflict. However, productive conflict – where team members engage in passionate, constructive debates on issues that are relevant and important to a team – is crucial for growth and progress. Avoiding conflict altogether can result in lack of strategic thinking and decision-making. Where does that leave you? Well, at least on the brink of failure, if not over the edge. 

So how do you mitigate fear surrounding conflict? One way is to actively ask for contrasting opinions and encourage discussion surrounding issues and solutions. Focus on trying to build the best solution by facilitating brainstorming, rather than competition. 

When unhealthy, destructive conflicts arise and people behave poorly, your team can feel shut down and undervalued. That’s when your company values come in hand. Integrate parameters for healthy, productive conflict into your company values. Go over these parameters with your team. Reading one or more of your company’s values once a week as a team can help renew individual commitment to living by them. Values like humility, accountability, and commitment to your mission are helpful reminders when your team is faced with crucial decisions. 

By consistently sharing values at meetings, it sets the standard. These values will trickle down into all levels of your business, so that company values are embodied even in meetings where you aren’t present.

Serious commitment issues

Another problem teams face? Commitment issues. When your team members aren’t committed to your mission or the growth of the company, collaboration wanes. 

Often this happens when team members sense that the success of the company is not connected to their own personal or professional growth. That’s how you wind up with individuals looking to hit personal goals for their own financial or professional success, with little desire to see the whole picture and work for growth on a fuller scale. 

The solution? Trust your team members to make decisions. More importantly, prompt everyone on your team to encourage their subordinates to take ownership over their work in the same way. 

Collaboration requires effort, so giving individuals the freedom to craft solutions can motivate them to reach out and make the extra effort to deliver the best solution. If your team repeatedly operates in this way, they are more likely to be invested in the company’s growth, committed to the mission, and overall more receptive to a spirit of solidarity that works for the common good. 

Believing that talent is everything

Aside from Pat Lencioni’s stellar advice, one reason teams fail is that they don’t hire for values. 

Hiring someone who aligns with and embodies your team’s values is just as important and necessary as hiring someone for their talents. Be sure that you are delineating your values on your website and in your job description. Don’t just advertise responsibilities. Advertise how you envision your hire contributing to and working with your team. Keep this vision in mind during interviews. 

For example, Lauren Gardner, Microsoft’s head of global talent acquisition, shares one of Microsoft’s values during an interview with CNBC Make It: the importance of hiring candidates who highlight their interests and passions outside of work. “We are hiring the whole person, so we are truly looking for people who have interests outside of their immediate role as a student or an employee … at Microsoft, we’re looking for people who not only bring a set of skills and experiences, but show us what they bring to the table as human beings … people who tell us how they can make a positive impact here and add to our culture.”

Hiring for values over talent means you need to alter the types of questions you ask in an interview too. If one of your company values is optimism amidst challenge, ask the candidate, “Tell me about one project that went well and one that went poorly. What happened in each scenario?” Pay attention to how the candidate shares about challenging situations. Do they take ownership while still maintaining a positive attitude for how they will improve next time? Or do they blame coworkers? Do they beat themselves up for the mistakes they made?

Ultimately, however, the key to building teams that share your values and want to collaborate to grow your venture is making Spirit-led decisions.

Never underestimate the power of prayer when building your team and inspiring your company culture. 

“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity,” (James 3:17)