The Five Essential Team Roles

What if the real reason most teams fail has nothing to do with talent, effort, or motivation?

In Episode 708 of Passion Struck, New York Times bestselling author and Leadership IQ founder Mark Murphy joins John R. Miles to reveal why even the most innovative, most driven teams quietly fall apart. Drawing on decades of research and his latest work on high-performance teams, Mark explains why misalignment, unclear roles, and unspoken expectations are the hidden forces that derail results.

Together, John and Mark explore the five critical roles every successful team needs, why traditional team building often backfires, and how leaders can diagnose what is missing before dysfunction sets in. From elite sports teams and legendary bands to Navy SEAL units and corporate cultures, this conversation reframes leadership as an act of alignment rather than control.

If you are entering a new year thinking about leadership, culture, or the kind of team you want to build or belong to, this episode will fundamentally change how you see collaboration.

Listen. Reflect. Build better.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/building-winning-teams-mark-murphy/

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Team Players Companion Workbook

Identify the Roles. Close the Gaps. Build Alignment.

Reflection prompts and practical exercises to help you assess your team, uncover role gaps, and lead with clarity in the year ahead.

Download the free Companion Workbook at: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/team-players-mark-murphy

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why most teams fail due to misalignment rather than lack of talent
• The five essential roles every high performing team must have and what happens when one is missing
• Why traditional team building often creates more friction instead of trust
• How elite teams, from professional sports to special operations units, adapt leadership based on context
• How to identify your own natural role and help others play to their strengths
• What leaders can do when they cannot hire new people but still need better performance

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