Tools for Team Leadership

Solve the puzzle of why some teams succeed while others fail. Collective action-not individual heroism-is what makes teams effective and creates sustainable change in organizations. In this follow-up to his best-seller Tools for Team Excellence, Gregory Huszczo unlocks the secret of what separates great teams built on collaboration and partnership from the secondary teams. Tools for Team Leadership introduces the critical "X-factor" in team success-leadership-and delivers an advanced set of tools and strategies to help anyone master the role of team leader. Grounded in the author's practical front-line experience with hundreds of teams, and backed by research like the powerful Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) assessment, the book explores the essence of leadership in a team environment. It identifies the chief responsibilities of every team leader and delivers a power-packed toolbox for analyzing a team's strengths and weaknesses. Tools for Team Leadership covers team building for both new and existing teams, with special help for team building at the top, and includes a self-study assessment at the end of each chapter to help turn concepts into a plan of action. This guide puts the power of participative team leadership into the hands of every manager, trainer, consultant, and member struggling to help teams succeed. Contents List of Exercises Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1 The Need for Team Leadership at All Levels 2 Your Natural Leadership Strengths 3 Effective Team Building 4 Knowing Why the Team Exists 5 Communicate, Communicate, Communicate 6 Problem Solving and Decision Making 7 Resolving Conflict 8 Motivating and Coaching Teams to Success 9 Leaders as Ambassadors of Team-Based Change Efforts 10 Monitoring and Reviving Teams 11 Helping a Whole Team of Leaders 12 Summary: The Learning Leader Makes a Difference Appendix A: The Exotic Orchid Role Play Exercise Appendix B: Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique Bibliography Index About the Author Gregory E. Huszczo, Ph.D. is an award-winning teacher and researcher, a licensed psychologist, a consultant and trainer, and author of the classic work in the field of team development, Tools for Team Excellence. With more than 30 years of experience working in the areas of teams, personalities, and leadership, his clients include: Ford Motor Company, Digital Equipment Corporation, La-Z-Boy, Unisys, AFSCME, Navistar, and the Red Cross. Huszczo is currently professor of organizational behavior and development at Eastern Michigan University.