The 5 Dysfunctions of Self - Building Inner Trust Before Outer Success

We often talk about teamwork in the context of others — the colleagues, friends, or families we collaborate with. But the truth is, your first team is internal.

Your thoughts, emotions, habits, and values are constantly negotiating and when they’re not aligned, you feel it. You lose momentum, second-guess your goals, and drift away from your purpose.

Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is one of the best leadership books ever written.

But what if we applied its lessons inward to the team within ourselves?

🧱 1. Absence of Trust — Not Being Honest With Yourself

At the foundation of every strong team is trust. The same is true within you. Personal growth starts when you stop pretending you’re fine and start telling yourself the truth. You can’t change what you won’t acknowledge.

💬 2. Fear of Conflict — Avoiding Internal Discomfort

Most people avoid inner conflict. They drown it out with distraction or busyness. But avoiding discomfort delays growth. Internal conflict is how you identify the gap between who you are and who you want to be. It’s not a sign something’s wrong — it’s proof you care enough to grow.

🎯 3. Lack of Commitment — Drifting Without Decision

When you don’t trust yourself and avoid inner tension, you can’t commit. You make half-decisions: “I’ll try,” “I’ll start Monday,” “We’ll see.” Growth requires full commitment - not perfection, but presence. Commitment is the bridge between intention and integrity.

🔄 4. Avoidance of Accountability — Breaking Promises to Yourself

Accountability isn’t punishment, it’s alignment. When you stop holding yourself accountable, you break trust with your own potential. Every time you skip a commitment you made to yourself, your belief erodes a little more. Every time you follow through, it strengthens.

🏁 5. Inattention to Results — Losing Sight of Who You’re Becoming

The final dysfunction is forgetting why you started. You get caught in the doing and lose sight of the becoming. Personal growth isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about aligning your habits with your highest self. Measure results not just in what you achieve, but in who you’re becoming along the way.

🧭 Bringing It All Together

The truth is, the same dysfunctions that weaken teams can quietly weaken individuals. Lack of trust, fear of discomfort, shallow commitment, broken accountability, and blurred focus. When you fix them in yourself, you naturally elevate the people around you. Because leadership, REAL leadership, starts on the inside.