Building Smart Teams is an essential guide to creating a smart team fast. Based on research results from close to 2,000 individuals organized in more than 250 teamsBuilding Smart Teams identifies the three critical skill sets that teams need and shows how to transfer these skills to a group.  The authors′ research and experience shows that, by concentrating on these three critical skills sets, a group is almost certain to become a high performing team quickly. Within this model, there is ample room for teams to discover their own unique culture, performance strategies, and paths to success.

Building Smart Teams is an essential guide to creating a smart team fast. Based on research results from close to 2,000 individuals organized in more than 250 teamsBuilding Smart Teams identifies the three critical skill sets that teams need and shows how to transfer these skills to a group.  The authors′ research and experience shows that, by concentrating on these three critical skills sets, a group is almost certain to become a high performing team quickly.
 
High-functioning teams are increasingly important to organizational success, but just throwing a team together will not give the desired results.Building Smart Teams gives you the theory and rationale behind high performance teams, but, in addition, it is packed with exercises, diagnostic tools, tips, and techniques to use with groups. The exercises are time-tested with the more than 100 groups trained by the authors.
 
The approach is not to dictate the one best way for teams to behave, but, rather, to help team members build skills and implement processes to increase success. Within this model, there is ample room for teams to discover their own unique culture, performance strategies, and paths to success.
 
Key Features:

Team Effectiveness Model was developed from research into the factors that lead to team success—over 250 teams were studied
 
Provides both theory and tools to get smart, fast results
 
Identifies the three critical success factors for high team performance and provides a diagnostic tool to assess levels of team functioning for each

Many targeted processes and exercises that team leaders can apply to enhance team functioning
 
Provides both the road map for creating effective teams (the Team Effectiveness Model) as well as the vehicles for getting there (exercises and process tools)

Chapter 1 Building High-Performance Teams: An Introduction
Top-notch Teams - The What For and Why
Your Roadmap: Introducing the Team Effectiveness Model
Measuring Your Team′s Progress
How to Maintain High-Octane Group Functioning
Exercises - The Starting Line: Assessing Your Team
Chapter 2 Creating Top-Notch Team Management Practices
Team Management Practices: Signpost #1 for Team Success
More On the Model - Task, Social and Commitment Strategies: A Roadmap to Effective Teams
The Team Management Practices Planner: Critical Conversations for Teams
Creating Top Team Management Practices Using the Nine Planner Elements
Exercises for Top-Notch Team Management Practices
Chapter 3 Problem-Solving for Pros
Team Problem Solving: Signpost #2 for Team Success
What Confounds Successful Problem-solving? Thinking Traps and Biases
What Supports Problem-solving Prowess? Introducing Our Model
Exercises - Team Problem Solving for Pros
Chapter 4 Handling Team Conflict
Handling Team Conflict: Signpost #3 of Team Success
Tools for Handling Team Conflict
Exercises - Developing Team Conflict-handling Skills
Appendix - Conflict: An Overview
Chapter 5 Maintaining a Supportive Climate for Teams
The Big Question: Are You Really Ready for Teams?
Coach′s Corner: The Art and Science of Implementing Teams
Research Roundup: A Review of Change Management Literature