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The 5 Biggest Team Challenges

Based on Five Dysfunctions of a Team a business book by Patrick Lencioni who describes many pitfalls that teams face as they seek to "grow together". This assessment questions the fundamental causes of organizational politics and team failure. It integrates modern team dynamics, remote/hybrid work, psychological safety, and agility.


This assessment will identify the key challenges your team faces and provide practical, actionable strategies to overcome them, helping your team unlock its full potential and achieve high performance.

Trust - Psychological Safety & Authenticity

1. Team members feel safe to express concerns, ideas, and failures without fear of judgment.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
2. There is an intentional effort to build trust in virtual and hybrid settings.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
3. Team members know and respect each other’s personal boundaries while fostering genuine connections.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
4. Team members leverage AI and collaboration tools (Slack, Miro, Notion) to improve transparency and knowledge sharing.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always

Fear of Conflict - Healthy Debate & Inclusion

5. Team members engage in constructive, data-driven debates rather than emotional conflicts.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
6. Discussions prioritize diverse perspectives and include underrepresented voices.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
7. Meetings are well-facilitated (even remotely), leveraging async collaboration when needed.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
8. Conflict is seen as a growth opportunity, not a threat, and teams use structured approaches (e.g., retrospectives, blameless post-mortems).
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always

Lack of Commitment - Adaptive Decision Making & Alignment

9. Team members align on a shared vision and understand how their work contributes to broader goals.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
10. Decisions are data-driven and transparent, with clear documentation (e.g., decision logs, OKRs).
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
11. Team members commit to experimentation and iteration, rather than needing perfect plans upfront.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
12. There is clarity on how decisions are made in remote/hybrid teams, ensuring all voices are heard.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always

Avoidance of Accountability - Shared Responsibility & Coaching Culture

13. Team members give regular, constructive feedback using structured methods (e.g., peer reviews, feedback loops).
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
14. The team fosters a coaching culture, where accountability is about growth, not blame. (Set clear communication of expectations & goals)
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
15. Leaders model accountability by owning mistakes and setting the right tone.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
16. Teams use agile cadences (standups, reviews, retrospectives) to check alignment and progress.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always

Inattention to Results - Outcome-Driven & Continuous Improvement

17. Teams measure success based on customer value, innovation, and impact, not just output.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
18. There is a focus on cross-functional success, not just individual or departmental wins.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
19. Teams celebrate small wins and progress, reinforcing positive behaviors.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
20. Data analytics (and if applicable AI) are leveraged to track team effectiveness and business impact.
1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always
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