The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team: Unlocking Team Success

The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team is a model introduced by Patrick Lencioni in his bestselling book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Over our 31 years of building and coaching teams, we haven’t encountered a model that serves teams better. The beauty of this framework lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. The behaviors are best visualized as a pyramid, with each behavior building on the foundation of the one below it.

1. Trust: The Foundation of a Cohesive Team

At the base of the pyramid is trust. But not just any trust—vulnerability-based trust. This is where team members feel safe being honest, admitting mistakes, and sharing concerns without fear of judgment. When teams establish this level of trust, they set the stage for open and honest communication, which is critical for all subsequent behaviors.

2. Conflict: Embracing Healthy Disagreement

With trust in place, teams can engage in productive conflict. The conflict we’re talking about isn’t the destructive kind that damages relationships. Instead, it’s the healthy, productive kind where issues are openly discussed, differing opinions are welcomed, and tough questions are addressed. Productive conflict leads to stronger decisions because ideas are tested and refined through thoughtful debate.

3. Commitment: Gaining Buy-In and Clarity

When teams engage in healthy conflict, they reach a point of commitment. Commitment isn’t about unanimous agreement but rather about achieving clarity and buy-in. Even if team members initially disagreed, they align around the final decision and move forward together. This alignment ensures that everyone knows what the team is working toward and what their individual responsibilities are.

4. Accountability: Holding Each Other to High Standards

The fourth behavior is accountability, and this is where many teams struggle. True accountability is peer-to-peer, not just top-down. When team members hold each other accountable, it reinforces the standards and expectations of the group. It’s not about criticism but about helping each other stay on track and perform at the highest level.

5. Results: Achieving Collective Success

At the top of the pyramid is results. The purpose of every team is to achieve results—not just any results but collective results that benefit the team, the business, or ideally, both. Teams that have built trust, engage in productive conflict, commit to decisions, and hold each other accountable are far more likely to achieve meaningful and sustainable success.

Bringing It All Together

When teams embrace these five behaviors, they transform how they collaborate, solve problems, and drive outcomes. The Five Behaviors model provides a clear path to build stronger teams that are not only more effective but also more resilient.

At Learning Unlimited, we guide teams through this model using assessments, coaching, and tailored development programs. If you’d like to explore how the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team can benefit your team or organization, let’s connect. We’d love to help you build a culture where trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and results thrive.

Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and build teams that achieve excellence together.