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This Issue
Hello and welcome to the 5th edition of Getting Teamwork Right!
In the last two weeks I have had a couple of conversations with different people around speaking up in teams. It's an important element of effective teamwork, but not something that comes easily for many for lots of reasons. It made me ponder this so I have written a couple of blog posts which you can read below on two different aspects of this – the quiet voice, and also the louder one…! Both are valuable and need to be heard, for reasons I go into in the articles.
I was also a guest on the mentl Workplace Harmonics podcast series a couple of weeks ago, talking with a good friend of mine, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, about reducing stress, burnout and rebuilding engagement.
This edition's video is a quick review of one of the teamwork world's most popular books – Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Pat Lencioni. Worth a read for the reasons you will see in the video.
I hope you find something useful and interesting to read or watch, and please do get in touch if you want to ask a question or let me know your thoughts on the newsletter – all feedback welcome!
Wishing you good team health,
Andy.
From the Blog
The Quiet Ones: Strongest Voices Unheard — click here to read
Understanding how to hear and value the quieter team members whose insights are often overlooked, and why their perspectives matter for team health and decision-making.
Watch This
Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Book Review
A quick video review of Pat Lencioni's essential teamwork book, exploring the five dysfunctions and why understanding them matters for building high-performing teams.
Also From the Blog
The Squeaky Wheel: Team Challengers — click here to read
Exploring the role of the outspoken team members who challenge the status quo, and why their voices—when heard with curiosity rather than defensiveness—drive innovation and honest conversations.
Top Team Links
Drew Dudley's Excellent Take on Leadership
Drew dispels the myth that leadership is hard. Watch his short TED Talk on 'lollipop leadership' here
Workplace Collaboration Statistics 2026
Real data on how hybrid teams lose productivity when decisions scatter across platforms. Understanding the cost of fragmentation here
Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Why psychological safety is now the foundation for team effectiveness, innovation, and employee wellbeing. Discover the research here
Podcast: Workplace Harmonics with Scott Armstrong
Listen to my conversation with Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, on reducing stress, burnout, and rebuilding engagement here
Top Team Tip
This week, notice who speaks up in your team meetings and who stays quiet. Both patterns matter. The quiet ones often have insights they're hesitant to share; the vocal ones might be masking discomfort with noise. Try asking a direct question to someone who's been silent: "What's your take on this?" You might unlock valuable perspective and signal that all voices belong in the room.
Ask Andy
Do you have a question that I can help you with? Send it to me on the link below and I will answer it. I'd like to publish one answer every fortnight — so that any readers with a similar concern can benefit. I will ask if you are OK for me to use your question, and I will make you and your situation anonymous before I share it.
GET IN TOUCH
Book a Call
If you want to find out more about how I could help your team or organisation, I'd love to hear from you. You can book a Microsoft Teams call with me here: