We’ve recently had a growth spurt at the PPMC, welcoming new team members. As we all know, adding new members impacts the culture and dynamics of the team. One of my favorite management books is, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni, which provides a roadmap to creating a culture where not only the work thrives, but so do the people. Team PPMC is reading (or re-reading) this book with a perspective of “how does this grow the PPMC and our work to enhance public service to best serve you community?”
The first dysfunction of any team is the “absence of trust.”
With having the privilege to work with dozens of organizations across our state each year, we constantly see the negative impact of the lack of trust in organizations and communities. The issues impacting communities and organizations are difficult… workforce shortages, mental health concerns, limited or declining growth, political divide.
None of these has an easy answer. However, we know if we keep doing the same things, we will keep getting the same answers.
Can we create enough trust to try something different and to continue to move forward together? Successful organizations and communities are finding ways to build trust, while others are pointing fingers, blaming others, and staying stuck.
Building trust has to be a priority of the work. What seems like a simple construct, is actually complicated to successfully deploy. Here are three tips from the book and our experience that help build trust:
- Keep comments and intentions directed to the purpose of the work.
- Accept feedback and input about your areas of responsibility.
- Get to know the person, not just the position.
How are you prioritizing teamwork in your organization and your community? If you utilize Lencioni’s framework or participate in similar activities, let us know how it goes!
Stay tuned into the PPMC newsletter and website for upcoming blogs in this series.