When nobody expresses him / herself in the group, there is only artificial harmony and the problem is never addressed. The fear of confrontation is unjust, but stems from the misconception that confrontation is synonymous with an argument. The fear of confrontations ensures that many aspects that are not discussed, are not on the agenda. When a team member continues to speak up, there is no frustration and the conflict does not lead a life of its own. The trust from the foundation of the pyramid certainly affects this. Teams that tackle conflicts have vivid and active meetings, and look for solutions to the real problem. However, serious discussions are too often avoided, while they actually contribute to a well-functioning team. These ensure a stronger bond, just like in another relationship, provided they are talked out. Conflicts also arise in sustainable business relations. Since each person is different from the other, conflicts in teams regularly occur. Constructive conflicts versus artificial harmony According to Lencioni, these matters should be talked about so that no frustrations are suppressed and a solution can be worked towards. In practice, however, this is not always done, but instead members complain about the workload or doubt in the performance of an employee in the canteen. Frustrations must also be expressed to keep the atmosphere in the team healthy. When mistakes are made, this must be admitted openly. Trust also means that team members must be able to be vulnerable.

Giving and receiving constructive feedback is essential in building trust. In this way, colleagues get to know more about each other’s private lives, their standards and values, and pronouncing someone’s strong or weak points becomes easier. Getting to know team members is a good start. If this foundation fails, the team will fall apart. The foundation of the Lencioni Trust Pyramid, the foundation, consists of trust. Lencioni states that his model can be interpreted both negatively and positively. However, in order for a team to function effectively, it is important that all levels and requirements are fulfilled. The bottom layer of the pyramid is the largest and therefore also the most important. Characteristic of a pyramid is that all underlying layers must be supported sufficiently before they can be constructed. The Lencioni Trust Pyramid is divided into five layers, starting at the bottom of the model. The realisation that something needs to be changed is important to get more potential from the team.

In order to develop the team with the aid of the Lencioni Trust Pyramid model, it is necessary that all team members are able to and want to work on the team. Do you want unlimited ad-free access and templates? Find out more

The five dysfunctions of a team