An agile coach noticed that team members are afraid to ask questions, do not collaborate with each other, and avoid taking responsibility for their actions.
What is the most likely reason for such behavior among the team members?
A. Fear of conflict
B. Lack of leadership
C. Avoidance of accountability
D. Inattention to results
HINT: Lack of trust is the main cause. What would be the most likely result of a lack of trust?
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Answer and explanation:
The correct answer is A.
According to Patrick Lencioni, author of
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, teams struggling with dysfunctions cannot become high-performing teams. The author names those five dysfunctions as the absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results.
While the absence of trust is the underlying reason for the rest of the team's dysfunctions, the author stresses that fear of conflict is the main reason that teams fail to build commitment to decisions, take responsibility, and work collaboratively.
In the reference provided, Lyssa Adkins cites another term for a conflict: constructive disagreement. Constructive disagreement is the hallmark of highly collaborative, high-performance teams. She states: “They live in a world of constructive disagreement.” She recommends that teams who want to become high-performing “face conflict and turn it into a force for good."
Details for each option:
A. Correct. Fear of conflict is one of the main reasons for team members to avoid taking responsibility, to be afraid to ask questions, and not to collaborate with each other.
B. Incorrect. Agile teams rely more on self-organization rather than individual leadership. Therefore, such behavior is not likely attributable solely to a lack of leadership.
C. Incorrect. Avoidance of accountability is an effect rather than a cause. Avoidance of accountability is typically due to a lack of commitment.
D. Incorrect. Inattention to results is an effect rather than a cause.
Reference:
Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition, Lyssa Adkins, 2010, Coach as Conflict Navigator
