This page provides an overview of teaming within SEND International, including:

• A definition of what constitutes a team in SEND
• The different types of teams you may encounter
• The stages of team formation
• Common obstacles to effective teaming (including the Five Dysfunctions)
• Curated resources for further learning and team development

SEND International is deeply committed to teaming, seeking to assign personnel to groups united by a common purpose, goals, and approach, with mutual accountability. Teams may include SEND personnel, Christian workers from other organizations, and national co-workers. The primary purpose is to strengthen the ministry of establishing churches, enhance ministry, provide encouragement, and model the body of Christ.

Definition:
A team is “a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they are mutually accountable.”
—Katzenbach & Smith, The Wisdom of Teams

Key Distinctions:

• Not every group called a “team” functions as a true team.
• True teams share a unique, common goal and hold each other mutually accountable.
• Sometimes, in SEND, “team” is used to describe a community or network, but without shared objectives and accountability, but these are not teams in the strictest sense.

Understanding the type of team you are on helps set realistic expectations and fosters healthy team dynamics. In SEND, there are at least four main types of teams, each with distinct characteristics:

• Description: Works closely together, frequent interaction, synergy, mentoring, and complementary gifting.
• Keys to Success: Well-defined objectives, dedicated leadership, frequent meetings, willingness to sacrifice for the team.
• See SEND U blog post: The basketball type of team on the mission field

• Description: Shares a common goal, but members work independently (e.g., in different churches or projects).
• Keys to Success: Clear job descriptions, self-motivation, hospitality, and support outside of work contexts.
• See SEND U blog post: The track team on the mission field

• Description: Cross-cultural partnerships between SEND missionaries and national workers.
• Keys to Success: Cultural understanding, mature and experienced members, fluency in a common language.
• See SEND U blog post: The X-team on the mission field

• Description: Members serve on two teams simultaneously (e.g., a track team and an X-team). The SEND Track Team provides encouragement and logistical support for multiple XT teams working with national leaders in various locations.
• Keys to Success: Flexibility, balancing commitments, effective communication in multiple directions.
• See SEND U blog post: Combo Teams

SEND teams are often very diverse teams. They brings an additional layer of challenges - and opportunities. See the Diversity on Teams wiki pagefor insights and resources related to multicultural, multigenerational, virtual and life-stage diversity.

Teams typically progress through four stages, each with its own challenges and opportunities:

1. Forming: Team members are polite and positive as they get to know each other.
2. Storming: Members begin to push against boundaries, and conflicts may arise.
3. Norming: Differences are resolved, strengths are appreciated, and respect for leadership grows.
4. Performing: The team works efficiently toward its goals with minimal friction.

Key Insight:
Initially, much of a team’s energy is spent working through differences and establishing how to function together. As trust and shared norms develop, the team’s effectiveness increases—often surpassing what the individuals could achieve separately.

SEND U’s Teaming Toolkit offers modules and resources to help teams navigate these stages and become more effective.

Teams often face obstacles that hinder their effectiveness. Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team identifies common pitfalls:

1. Absence of Trust: Team members are unwilling to be vulnerable.
2. Fear of Conflict: Desire for harmony stifles productive debate.
3. Lack of Commitment: Ambiguity prevents buy-in.
4. Avoidance of Accountability: Hesitancy to call out peers on counterproductive behavior.
5. Inattention to Results: Individual needs and status are prioritized over collective success.

Lencioni explains these 5 dysfunctions in a 6-minute video.

Recognizing and addressing these dysfunctions is essential for healthy, effective teams. David Dunaetz's journal article,Good Teams, Bad Teams: Under What Conditions Do Missionary Teams Function Effectively? shows how Lencioni's 5 dysfunctions also apply to mission teams.

• A SEND U blog post on Avoiding Conflict
• A SEND U blog post on the question: Do Jesus and Paul avoid conflict?

Trust plays a foundational role in effective teamwork. Our cultural backgrounds influence our attitudes toward failure and vulnerability. Some cultures tend to conceal mistakes to protect self-image, while others are more open to admitting weaknesses and accepting blame. Through discussion questions and practical activities—such as sharing personal histories, using behavioral profiling tools like DiSC, and engaging in trust-building exercises—teams can foster openness and interdependence. Mission teams have taken trust assessment surveys to determine the level of trust on the team - and to see whether the team has grown in trust over time.

Building Trust on a Team. A list of discussion questions, activities and resources put together by Ken Guenther. For SEND members only.

Teaming Toolkit – Training modules for team formation and effectiveness

• Are we a team?
• Three different types of teams in SEND
• Can we put too much emphasis on healthy teams?

• The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenbach & Smith
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Teamby Patrick Lencioni
• The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni. Discusses team building, team leadership, communication skills, and recruiting for teams.
• I've Got Your Back: Biblical Principles for Leading and Following Well by James Galvin. Particularly helpful on defining good followership
• The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey.

• Team Charter Guide
• Team covenant example 1
• Team covenant example 2
• Team covenant example 3
• Ministry Team Charter Template - for a short-term team

• by: Ken Guenther
• on November 20, 2025