"The Myths and Realities of Teamwork" by David Wright

This book clearly sets out how to get past some of the basic problems managers face with teams and how to move them to a level of high performance. The book focuses on the key milestones that mark a team’s journey to high performance, without being naïve to the challenges and the pitfalls.

The book also aims to help mature teams recapture that early enthusiasm and respect you may have witnessed when the team was new. Building a really effective team is akin to taking a journey and members of the team must experience the journey together.

The myths and realities of teamwork will be told through a series of milestones (chapters) on a journey to high performance using 32 case studies, 37 illustrations and one joke, but it is a good one.

The milestones highlighted within each chapter, will aid the reader to check the team’s progress. The initial part of the team journey will focus on basic steps in building the team and this may feel mechanistic; however, as the book unfolds, you will experience more challenging skills and processes that will enable you and your team to achieve high performance.

The myths and realities are visited throughout the book to assist the reader to be realistic in approach.

Content
About the book
Author’s profile
Preface
Introduction
1. Myths and Realities of Teamwork
Myth 1 – Teams are harmonious people
Myth 2 – Team conflict is unhealthy
Myth 3 – Most people like teamwork
Myth 4 – Teamwork is essential to business success
Myth 5 – Teams are easy to influence and manage
Myth 6 – Senior Managers encourage teamwork
2. Signposting a Team Journey
2.1. The milestones
2.2. Starting Point – Management Grid
2.3. Bruce Tuckman’s team journey
2.4. Summary of Chapter 2
3. The Basics, Including Meeting Processes
3.1. Team goal
3.2. Team ground rules
3.3. Team meetings processes
3.4. Summary Chapter 3
3.5. Myths and realities of Chapter 3
4. Team Skills
4.1. Team synergy; adding value consistently
4.2. Six team skills
4.3. Summary Chapter 4
4.4. Myths and Realities of Chapter 4
5. Team Profile, Balance and Roles
5.1. Potential team profiling instruments
5.2. A team’s profile using Belbin’s nine Team Roles
5.3. Predicting the team’s performance when undertaking specific tasks
5.4. Encouraging team members to take on additional roles that will assist in the team’s success
5.5. Summary Chapter 5
5.6. Myths and realities of Chapter 5
6. Empowerment, Feelings and Fun
6.1. Empowerment
6.2. Self-Directed Work Teams (SDWT)
6.3. Feelings, the highest form of team communication
6.4. Fun
6.5. Summary of Chapter 6
6.6. Myths and realities of Chapter 6
7. Leadership for All
7.1. Team leadership
7.2. Solo leadership versus team leadership
7.3. Intervention levels
7.4. Leadership for all
7.5. High performance
7.6. The team journey
7.7. Summary of Chapter 7
7.8. The final myth
Appendices