Mark Murphy on 5 Ways to Build Teams That Actually Work | EP 708

Dec 26, 2025

Mark Murphy, a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Leadership IQ, reveals the surprising reasons teams often fail, highlighting misalignment over talent. He outlines five essential roles crucial for successful teamwork, from the director to the harmonizer. Mark emphasizes the importance of allowing individuals to play to their strengths rather than forcing cohesion. He shares insights on hiring failures and the value of under-recognized roles, urging leaders to foster alignment for better collaboration.

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INSIGHT

Teams Fail From Misaligned Roles

Most teams fail from misalignment of roles and expectations, not lack of talent.
High-performing teams let each person play to their strengths rather than forcing sameness.

ANECDOTE

Miserable Joint-Venture Meetings Spark Research

Mark recalled miserable meetings where team building was the proposed fix but felt useless.
That experience sparked his research and the realization about role alignment.

INSIGHT

The Five Core Team Roles

Five core roles: Director, Trailblazer, Stabilizer, Achiever, Harmonizer cover essential team functions.
A small group can combine roles, but all five functions must be present for consistent performance.

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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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