Why Teams Don't Work ^{2nd Ed.}

Why have teams and teamworking failed to live up to expectations in your company?

Today's companies are fast turning to teams as a means for organizaing and doing work. Yet, many have found teams prone to problems that make them ineffective. Bud fad or not, teams are here to stay — and when they do work, companies and managers undoubtedly benefit enormously. This award-winning book identifies the obstacles that prevent teams from achieving their potential and provides methods and tools to enable team members and managers to make the promise of teams — greater efficiency, flexibility and productivity — come true.

• Preface to the Paperback Edition
• The 10 Commandments of Teaming
• Preface to the International Edition
• Introduction
• Part One: Broken Dreams, Broken Teams
1. The Team Idea — Everybody Get Together
2. Human Needs — Desperately Seeking Teaming
3. Individual Needs vs. Team Needs — Ulterior Motives
4. Teamwork vs. Socialwork — What a Team We Would Make
• Part Two: Why Teams Come Apart
5. Misplaced Goals, Confused Objectives — What Are We Doing Here?
6. Unresolved Roles — It Ain't My Job, Man
7. Bad Decision Making — How Not to Make Up Your Mind
8. The Wrong Policies and Procedures — You Can't Get There from Here
9. The People Problem — I'm Not Working for That Jerk!
• Part Three: What Keeps Teams from Working
10. Leadership Failure — Who's in Charge Here, Anyway?
11. Faulty Vision — If You Don't Know Where You're Going … You'll Probably Get There
12. Toxic Teaming Atmosphere — Organizational Karma
13. Communication Shortfalls — How'm Doing?
14. Rewards and Recognition — Saying One Thing and Doing Another
15. Depleted Trust — Why Should I Trust You?
16. Change Issues — Who's Rocking the Boat?
• Part Four: Team Myths
17. The Myth of Adventure Learning — Belay That!
18. The Myth of Personality Type — It's What's Outside That Counts!
19. The Myth That People Like Working Together — Heigh Ho!
20. The Myth That Teamwork Is More Productive than Individual Work — The Team! The Team!
21. The Myth of "The More, the Merrier" on Teams — Let's Do 'The Wave'!
• Part Five: Turning Teams Around
22. Moving Teams Through STages Towards Success — The Teaming Goes Round and Round
23. Teams and Technology — The 24-Hour Transworld Team
24. Long-Term Team Health — The Well-Tuned First-String Team
25. Epilogue

The title sums it up. This is a must read.