This Episode: 5×5 Leadership with Matthew Adam
Lucinda is joined by special guest Matthew Adam, to look at the concept of systemic psychotherapy, exploring how its principles, rooted in understanding the interconnected nature of relationships within a system, are highly relevant to organisational leadership.
Using a 5×5 model framework, which balances five essential team functions against five common team dysfunction, they examine the active, proactive process required to foster a healthy, high-performing organisational culture.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Systemic psychotherapy focuses on relationships and the interconnected nature of elements within a system, similar to how an ecosystem or a family operates, and this thinking is highly applicable to improving organisational systems.
- The 5×5 model addresses the “five dysfunctions of a team” by balancing them against five essential team functions, providing an active, hands-on framework for improving team dynamics and performance.
- Working on the model creates a positive, multi-modal, and circulatory impact across the organisation, meaning that strengthening one area simultaneously enhances all other areas due to the interconnected nature of the system.
- The starting point for implementing the model is encouraging a reflective space where leaders address questions about how they can improve and what they would like to do differently, moving from a problem-saturated focus to a strength-based position.
BEST MOMENTS
“Systemic psychotherapy is really about relationships. It’s about how do we understand the interconnected nature of the elements that comprise a system and how they interact with each other.”
“Dysfunction doesn’t have to mean dysfunctional”
“Working on one particular area, you’re positively impacting all of the others simultaneously.”
“We sometimes have to define our structure so that not only are we addressing team dynamic, but we’re also introducing agility and flexibility.”
Valuable Resources
The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | YouTube
The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group
Mastering Motivation with Rob Lion (The HR Uprising)
How To Be A Change Superhero – by Lucinda Carney
HR Uprising Mastermind – https://hruprising.com/mastermind/
If you liked this episode, try these
- Podcast Episode 207: Transforming Relationships at Work with Yvonne Guerineau
- Podcast Episode 262: Leadership and Management – HR High Performance
Find out more about Actus solutions:
Appraisal Info-book: Rethinking Performance Appraisals
Performance Management Software
About The Guest, Matthew Adam
Matthew Adam is a systematic psychotherapist and an organisational consultant and leadership coach who helps executives transform misaligned teams into high-performing, collaborative organisations. Drawing on his expertise in team dynamics, conflict mediation, and strategic thinking, he uses his proprietary 5×5 Model to drive alignment and sustainable growth. Matthew’s work focuses on building emotional intelligence, clarity, and connection within leadership teams, helping organisations achieve meaningful and lasting transformation. With his depth of knowledge and experience, Matthew brings a thoughtful and engaging perspective to this conversation on what makes teams and leaders truly thrive.
Connect with Matthew…
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-adam1/
5×5 Model Website – http://www.the5x5model.com/
For Consulting – http://www.systemicsolutionsconsulting.co.uk/
About The Host
Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles. Lucinda, for over 10 years as CEO of Actus Software has worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. Certainly, it was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community. In order to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.
“If you look up, you rise up”
How To Be A Change Superhero – by Lucinda Carney
Contact Method
- Join the HR Uprising LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/
- Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/
- X / Twitter: @lucindacarney
- Instagram: @hruprising
- Facebook: @hruprising
- YouTube: Channel
Actus Software
Subscribe To The HR Uprising Podcast Now:


