Synopses & Reviews
Leading teams is an essential skill every manager must possess. To do it effectively, you must know how to instill commitment in your team, improve communication among group members, and diagnose common problems that can derail a team. In this book, you'll find valuable advice and proven strategies for managing teams, including how to:
· Diagnose common problems that can impede team progress
· Take corrective measures to remove team problems and improve performance
· Resolve team conflicts
· Promote interdependence within teams
Synopsis
The Pocket Mentor series offers immediate solutions to the challenges managers face on the job every day. Each book in the series is packed with handy tools, self-tests, and real-life examples to help you identify strengths and weaknesses and hone critical skills. Whether you're at your desk, in a meeting, or on the road, these portable guides enable you to tackle the daily demands of your work with greater speed, savvy, and effectiveness.
Table of Contents
Managing Teams: The Basics
Keeping Your Team on Track
An overview of the challenges team leaders must surmount.
Evaluating the teams process
Understanding common obstacles
Obstacle 1: Lack of Team Identity
A closer look at a vital ingredient in team success.
Appreciating why team identity is crucial
Understanding causes of weak team identity
Strengthening team identity
Obstacle 2: Ineffective Decision Making
Tips for combating an all-too-common problem.
Agreeing on a decision-making approach
Sharpening decision-making skills
Obstacle 3: Poor Communication
Ideas for examining one of your processes.
Understanding the costs of poor communication
Enhancing team members communication skills
Obstacle 4: Destructive Conflict
Suggestions for turning unproductive disagreements into productive ones.
Defining the root cause of the conflict
Negotiating a resolution
Encouraging active listening
Reminding team members to forgive
Obstacle 5: Low Participation
Advice for ensuring that everyone takes part in the team.
Detecting low participation
Confirming expectations about participation
Enabling members to meet expectations
Asking for explanations
Assessing member/task fit
Obstacle 6: Absence of Creativity
Recommendations for catalyzing creativity.
Promoting diversity of thinking styles and technical skills
Balancing paradoxical characteristics
Moving from divergent to convergent thinking
Obstacle 7: Groupthink”
Ideas for preventing this dangerous mindset.
Understanding the dangers of groupthink
Recognizing the symptoms
Combating groupthink
Obstacle 8: Ineffective Team Leadership
Strategies for tackling this troubling condition.
Recognizing the signs of poor leadership
Identifying the root causes
Balancing bossing with empowering
Taking action when youre not the leader
Tips and Tools