Absence of trust is one of the five dysfunctions highlighted in the book. When a lack of trust is pervasive among team members, communication and cooperation break down, and the team performs poorly. Thus, Patrick Lencioni emphasizes the importance of building trust among team members as the foundation of a successful team. Through the exercises and discussions that Kathryn Petersen facilitates, the team members at DecisionTech learn to open up and become vulnerable with each other, helping them build trust in one another and become a more cohesive team.

Artificial harmony refers to a situation within a team where there is an apparent lack of conflict or disagreement, but it is merely a façade masking unresolved issues or unexpressed opinions. In such cases, team members may avoid healthy conflict and instead opt for a surface-level agreement or consensus, often to maintain a sense of false harmony. Artificial harmony can hinder productive discussions, stifle creativity, and lead to suboptimal decision-making.

Avoidance of accountability, another dysfunction, goes hand in hand with a lack of commitment and further exacerbates poor team performance. As the DecisionTech team learns how to establish clear roles and responsibilities, they also learn how to hold each other accountable for their actions and thereby further their collective goals.