Trust as the Foundation of Teamwork

Lencioni identifies trust as the cornerstone of effective teamwork. Kathryn's approach to addressing the team's dysfunctions begins with fostering trust among team members. She explains, 'Trust is the foundation of real teamwork. And so the first dysfunction is a failure on the part of team members to understand and open up to one another.' This is practically demonstrated through the personal histories exercise, where team members share personal stories to build a deeper understanding and connection. For example, Carlos being the oldest of nine kids and Mikey studying ballet at Juilliard helps humanize them and lay the groundwork for trust.