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The haka as a Mirror for Teams
I often see it happen during a haka workshop: some participants are cautious, a few don’t participate because they’re resistant to this Māori dance, and then some go all out. They shout, stick out their tongues, and slap their thighs before we’ve even started. Everything is fine, and nothing is wrong, but I quickly see what’s going on beneath the surface. Then I ask myself:
- Who dares to be visible?
- Who holds back?
- Who creates energy?
- Who follows and who leads?
Patrick Lencioni’s pyramid is a five-layered model that shows how teams can grow to a higher level of collaboration and performance. A strong team gradually builds trust, constructive (or positive) conflict, commitment, responsibility, and a clear focus on results. You see these five behaviors during a haka workshop.
1. Trust: Daring to be visible
During a haka, you make yourself visible and heard in a way you don’t do every day. It’s not obvious to everyone. I never ask people to shout, stamp, or the men to stick their tongues out at the beginning of the workshop. The workshop builds up gradually: I explain where the haka comes from, its different types, and its meaning. I make a Golden Contract with the group and explain that breathing is the core of the haka. We do a breathing exercise and a grounding exercise. This helps us come to the here and now. When you do a haka, you’re not thinking about what went wrong yesterday or what you still have to do tomorrow. You’re moving forward with full force. Then we activate the body.
These steps are essential for participants to gain the confidence to remove their masks and be vulnerable. This takes time because initially, I see participants who nervously laugh, whisper, and flinch. And at a certain point, people dare to speak up and show who they truly are. It often starts with one person speaking up, opening their eyes, and showing strength. I see the potential that has long been hidden. That moment of showing vulnerability is what Lencioni calls the foundation of trust. Trust arises when someone dares, and the rest follows.
2. Respectful Conflict: Taking on the Challenge
When trust is present within a team, team members engage in respectful (or positive) conflict. The team doesn’t avoid them.
The haka is a safe form of conflict: it challenges you and the group. You challenge the comfort of silence and politeness. This conflict is not destructive but constructive, connecting, and energizing.
Teams that find this difficult often also struggle with open communication and disagreement. This leads to miscommunication, frustration, and poorer performance.
Part of growth and collaboration is “confrontation.” This is when different perspectives are shared, and discussions are held that lead to better decisions.
During the haka, I have two groups face each other. They take turns performing their strength dance or haka. The participants see each other and see what the other has to offer and is willing to share. A connection is created to move forward together.
3. Commitment: Half-hearted participation doesn’t work
What I often see during haka workshops is that not everyone participates, or people don’t (or dare to) fully commit.
A haka immediately falls flat when everyone is at 60 percent.
Commitment or involvement is visible in synchronicity, volume, rhythm, and focus.
I can’t expect the participants to know all the words and movements of this Māori dance after a short time. But when everyone simultaneously slaps their thighs and makes themselves heard, I know the participants are committed because they are engaged.
The first two levels of trust and constructive conflict are very important here.
Commitment and involvement (during the haka) are seen when:
- Everyone is willing to make one sound together
- The participants dare to dance in sync
- Everyone supports the shared message.
As soon as someone else enters the room where we are learning the haka (to say that all the cabinets are coming off the walls downstairs), the group is distracted. This also happens when a military plane flies overhead or when hikers stop to see what we’re doing. Focus is lost, and participants don’t dare to show their vulnerability.
When things get difficult or the team is distracted, we have to take a step back in Lencioni’s pyramid. I stop and say what I see happening. Next, we do another exercise to bring us back to the present moment, to ground or connect.
Kei te pai?
That’s what I ask next. “Kei te pai?” is Māori and means “Is everything good, is it clear?” When everything is clear, there’s more focus and commitment in teams, and a decision can be made to take action and move on.
4. Responsibility: Keeping each other sharp
Once the group is confident enough, participants begin encouraging or correcting each other. This is the natural transition to Lencioni’s fourth level, where participants can also coach each other to achieve better results.
During the haka, I see this when a participant addresses another who is not participating. I also regularly have someone stand in front of the group to prepare (prime) everyone for the haka. This is done loudly and energetically. They enthuse everyone for the haka, and everyone responds with a unanimous shout, a yell, or a primal scream. If the haka leader (the Kaea) is convinced that everyone is ready for the haka, we continue. If not, they start over again.
5. Results
Lencioni ends with results. With a haka, the result is not only seen but especially felt. I see it in the participants’ eyes, posture, and voices.
If you don’t feel the haka, you’re still too much in your head. You might be wondering if you’re doing it right, what others think, or when this workshop will finally be over. Then it’s time to ground yourself, return to the present moment, and connect with the group.
With connection, courage, pride, and energy, there’s more focus and direction. Teams experience this result immediately when the first four levels of the pyramid are well-developed.
A shared purpose or WHY within the team strengthens all levels of the Lencioni model. Without a purpose or WHY, there is no trust, commitment, or involvement. When people know WHY they do something, they are aware of their contribution and its impact on the world.
What if teams worked like when they perform a haka?
Of course, teams don’t have to perform a haka before every meeting, pitch, presentation, or difficult conversation. I do encourage participants to breathe, to come back to the present moment, to connect with others, and to take the initiative. I’m convinced that this leads to greater trust, more connection, more involvement, and better results.
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How would you change the way you collaborate within your team? Let me know in the comment box below. I, and other readers of this article, look forward to read from you!
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Sources:
–Trixsolutions.com
-Patrick Lencioni, The 5 Dysfunctions of Teams
