Leveraging the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
Understand how team dysfunctions can give you the upper hand in negotiations.
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Issue No. 103 (4th Feb January 2025)
Negotiations can be Won by Teams—Or Lost by Them
We’ve written about how negotiation teams make the dream work, and from our experience we can unequivocally say that having clearly defined roles in a negotiation team, vastly improves your negotiated outcomes.
Which got me thinking, what happens when the team you are negotiating against is dysfunctional?
I’m sure that many of you are familiar with Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team which explains how teams can unravel through distrust, avoidance, and misalignment.
As a reminder the 5 Dysfunctions are:
DYSFUNCTION #1: ABSENCE OF TRUST.
DYSFUNCTION #2: FEAR OF CONFLICT.
DYSFUNCTION #3: LACK OF COMMITMENT.
DYSFUNCTION #4: AVOIDANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
DYSFUNCTION #5: INATTENTION TO RESULTS.
If you can spot these cracks in your counterpart’s team, you can use them to your advantage.
Dysfunction #1: Absence of Trust—Fragmented Teams Struggle to Commit
Without trust, teams hesitate, withhold information, and undermine each other.
🟢 Your Advantage: If they don’t trust each other, they won’t make confident decisions. Use their hesitation to shape the negotiation.
🔹 Example: Procurement demands cost reductions while HR insists on quality. Ask, “If we cut fees, do you have the budget to fix the drop in quality?” If they can’t answer, they’re not aligned—and you can control the conversation.
🔹 Tactic: Ask open-ended questions that force them to reveal internal disagreements.
Dysfunction #2: Fear of Conflict—Push Past Their Avoidance
Teams that avoid conflict avoid difficult decisions, leading to delays and vague commitments.
🟢 Your Advantage: If they won’t challenge each other, introduce controlled conflict to force clarity.
🔹 Example: A client wants an RPO but won’t confirm hiring volumes because finance won’t commit. Instead of waiting, say, “If finance rejects the plan, does this deal fall apart?” This forces them to confront the issue instead of hiding behind it.
🔹 Tactic: Call out hesitation. Make them face the roadblock instead of avoiding it.
Dysfunction #3: Lack of Commitment—Leverage Indecision to Take Control
Indecisive teams stall, fearing accountability for a wrong decision.
🟢 Your Advantage: If they hesitate, take the lead. Provide a structured choice that forces action.
🔹 Example: A client agrees in principle but delays sign-off. Instead of waiting, say, “Let’s start with a six-month pilot. What’s stopping us from moving forward next month?”
🔹 Tactic: Set clear deadlines and force them to choose: commit or risk losing the opportunity.
Dysfunction #4: Avoidance of Accountability—Find the Real Decision-Maker
When no one takes ownership, deals stall.
🟢 Your Advantage: Identify the key decision-maker and bypass the excuses.
🔹 Example: HR says the CFO must approve, but the CFO won’t engage. Instead of waiting, ask, “Who ultimately owns talent acquisition? Let’s bring them into the discussion.” This forces clarity on who actually holds power.
🔹 Tactic: Directly ask, “Who is responsible for signing off?” If no one steps up, they’re not ready to negotiate.
Dysfunction #5: Inattention to Results—Keep Them Focused on What Matters
Teams get distracted by internal politics and lose sight of business-critical outcomes.
🟢 Your Advantage: Keep the conversation focused on long-term results.
🔹 Example: Procurement fixates on cutting cost-per-hire while HR worries about candidate experience. Instead of debating, say, “Let’s look at the total cost—including attrition and lost productivity. The right partner saves money long-term.”
🔹 Tactic: When they fixate on minor issues, acknowledge their concern—but redirect to the bigger picture.
Final Thought: Teams Lose Deals Before They Even Start
If you just focus on negotiating price, SLAs, or service models. You may miss the real opportunity, by not understanding the team dynamics behind the deal.
A team that lacks trust will hesitate—so take control.
A team that avoids conflict won’t challenge weak positions—so introduce strategic pressure.
A team that lacks commitment will delay—so give them structured choices.
A team that avoids accountability won’t own decisions—so find the real decision-maker.
A team that loses sight of results will get distracted—so keep them focused on outcomes.