Committed Teams: Three Steps to Inspiring Passion and Performance

Praise for COMMITTED TEAMS

"Committed Teams starts with a simple insight that the fundamentals of good teamwork are easy to understand but tough to put into practice. It′s full of engaging stories and practical advice for closing the knowing–doing gap."
Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals

"As an NFL executive and former 15–year professional player, I know the power of a team. The authors have broken down teamwork to an understandable science that will inform all who seek to master the art of working together for a common goal."
Troy Vincent, Sr., Executive Vice President of NFL Football Operations

BUILD HIGH–PERFORMING TEAMS WITH A PROVEN FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Committed Teams: Three Steps to Inspiring Passion and Performance is based on a deceptively simple philosophy: set a direction, try to stay on track, and make adjustments when necessary. Easy to do? Hardly especially when the typical workday is time–crunched, stressful, and deadline–driven. Drawing on research done at the Wharton School of Business, the authors reveal how to deliver results under these tough conditions.

Tested and refined in Wharton′s Executive Development Program, Committed Teams will help you gain buy–in for shared objectives, assign roles to the right people, and establish norms for effective collaboration. Whether your team aims to execute a strategy, produce breakthrough innovations, collaborate across global boundaries, or launch a new venture, this how–to guide offers the pragmatic advice you need. Engaging stories and illustrative examples from business, entertainment, sports, and the arts bring the three–step process to life.

This game–changing book provides the tools for:

If you want to be competitive in a demanding, fast–paced work environment, you need to rely on a high–performing team. Committed Teams is the indispensable resource for creating one.

Preface ix

Introduction: Can I Make My Team Work? xi

Part One 1

1 Commit: To Know the Rules, You Have to Make Them 3

2 Check: What You Don t Know Is Probably Hurting You 23

3 Close: To Bridge the Saying–Doing Gap, Act Like a STAR 49

4 Pay Attention:The Seven Common Mistakes You Are Probably Making 69

Part Two 89

5 Can You Hear Me Now? Making Virtual Teams Work 91

6 No Time for Teamwork? Lessons from Startups 107

7 Who Has a Good Idea? Insights on Innovation 123

8 Lead or Follow? Guidelines for Leadership Groups 139

9 Why Are We Here? Engaging Committees 157

Conclusion: The Future Is Teams 173

Acknowledgments 189

Notes 191

Resources 207

Bibliography 213

The Authors 217

Index 219

MARIO MOUSSA teaches in the Executive Education programs at The Wharton School of Business. MADELINE BOYER and DEREK NEWBERRY are lecturers in the Wharton undergraduate program. All three authors advise senior leaders at the world′s top companies and organizations.