Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.

Leaders must display their humanness. Those under their authority must be empowered & have the courage to engage in honest dialogue.

Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal.

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. And if that sounds touchy-feely, let me explain, because there is nothing soft about it. It is an absolutely critical part of building a team. In fact, it’s probably the most critical.

If everything is important, then nothing is.

All things to all people is nothing to everyone.

It's as simple as this. When people don't unload their opinions and feel like they've been listened to, they won't really get on board.