The Wisdom Of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization [Paperback]

The importance of teams has become a cliche of modern business theory, but few have a clear idea of what it means. In this new edition of their best-selling primer, Katzenbach and Smith try to impart some analytical rigor to the concept. Drawing on their experience as management consultants and a plethora of case studies at companies like Burlington Northern and Motorola, they cover such topics as the optimal size of teams, coping with turnover in team personnel and nurturing "extraordinary teams" rather than "pseudo-teams." Reacting against the touchy-feely interpersonal bent of discourse on teams, they emphasize hard-nosed principles of "performance, focus, and discipline," over the softer concerns of "communication, openness and 'chemistry.'" Teams, they argue, gel and achieve not by developing "togetherness," but by tackling and surmounting specific "outcome-based" challenges ("eliminate all late deliveries...within 90 days" rather than the vaguer "develop a plan for improving customer satisfaction."). Some of the authors' recommendations are reasonably precise and practical, but too many are nebulous truisms ("keep the purpose, goals, and approach relevant and meaningful") or weighed down by turgid consultant-ese ("integrating the performance goals of formal, structural units as well as special ad hoc group efforts becomes a significant process design challenge"). The case studies are better written, but it's not clear that these inspiring anecdotes of team triumph add up to a systematic doctrine. The book leaves the impression that teams ultimately just have to learn by doing.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The authors, who are both consultants, conducted extensive interviews with companies to discover how successful teams are created and sustained. The result is not a research report but a collection of minicase histories and commentary. Some of the findings: Teams respond to performance challenges and not to managers' exhortations for more "teamwork." Organizations committed to high-performance standards and willing to modify individual accountability requirements experience the greatest success with teams. Successful team leaders are not necessarily those with remarkable leadership qualities. Instead, they "simply need to believe in their purpose and their people." Team leaders do real work, remove obstacles, and build trust and confidence. Recommended for larger public libraries and special business collections.
- Andrea C. Dragon, Coll. of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

"The Wisdom of Teams captures the power and vision of what great business teams can accomplish. Its stories and lessons should be read and learned." -- -- Senator Bill Bradley

"A thoughtful and well-written book filled with fascinating examples. . . . You will be hard-pressed to find a better guide to the essential building block of the organization of the future." -- -- John Byrne Business Week

"An unusually thorough study of teams...As well as challenging much conventional wisdom about teams, the book is full of advice about how to organize proper--and properly effective--teams." -- -- Financial Times

"Teams at any level in the organization make all the difference to performance. This book describes, with inescapable clarity, the discipline necessary for both teams and performance." -- -- Harvey Golub, CEO, American Express Company

"This book offers valuable advice in the fine art of building teams for high performance results...The authors provide real and disguised examples...along with specific recommendations...and offer useful ideas for balancing work responsibilities, executive egos, communications, and skills." -- -- Industry Week --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Teams -- the key to top performance

Motorola relied heavily on teams to surpass its competition in building the lightest, smallest, and highest-quality cell phones. At 3M, teams are critical to meeting the company's goal of producing half of each year's revenues from the previous five years' innovations. Kodak's Zebra Team proved the worth of black-and-white film manufacturing in a world where color is king.

But many companies overtook the potential of teams in turning around tagging profits, entering new markets, and making exciting innovations happen -- because they don't know how to utilize teams successfully. Authors Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith talked with hundreds of people in more than thirty companies to find out where and how teams work best and how to enhance their effectiveness. They reveal:

• The most important element in team success
• Who excels at team leadership ... and why they are rarely the most senior people
• Why companywide change depends on teams ... and more

Comprehensive and proven effective,The Wisdom of Teams is the classic primer on making teams a powerful too[ for success in today's global marketplace.

Jon R. Katzenbach has been with McKinsey & Company, Inc., for more than three decades, and is considered to be one of the firm's leading thinks on issues or organization and performance.

Douglas K. Smith is a leading commentator and consultant on organization performance and change who has also co-authored two previous books: Fumbling the Future: How Xerox Invented and The Ignored the First Personal Computer and Sources of the African Past.