The Team Approach: With Teamwork Anything Is Possible

There has never been a greater need in the history of the human experience for people working in groups to perform at a higher level in order to solve our social, technical, political, and environmental problems. As organizations grow in size, work becomes more complicated, and competition heats up across the globe, teamwork holds the best possibility for solutions to complex problems that will enable individuals and businesses alike to flourish. From all corners of the business world, people are interested in tapping into the energy, synergy, and ingenuity that only comes from a high performing team. From our perspective, this phenomena is neither a fad, nor a flavor of the month management technique designed to squeeze more out of people. Legions of leaders, managers, and employees are rediscovering that teamwork can increase productivity, offer satisfying rewards, and produce quality relationships in the work place.

The authors of The Team Approach contend that there are stunning parallels between the forces of teamwork that are observable in nature and what we see in modern organizations. Mother Nature and history are both powerful teachers as they have combined over and over again to demonstrate that teamwork is ageless and timeless. The authors will illustrate and elaborate on the key building blocks of teamwork in virtually any setting through their Diamond Model of Teamwork. This remarkably clear and easy to understand models will help anyone form and develop a team that is capable of unbelievable achievements. The elements that make up the Diamond Model of Teamwork are universal. So it doesn t really matter if you are serving on an R & D project, government agency, sales team, manufacturing group, school staff, or a group of NBA referees huddling and debating a call. The principles and skills described in The Team Approach can help any kind of team make the leap to the next level.

Dr. Stowell and Ms. Mead make the case that team success is everyone s responsibility. Consciously or unconsciously everyone chooses to either help the team pull together or pull apart with their actions and words. Team members who choose to be enrolled and actively involved in the pursuit of a clear purpose with a deep sense of responsibility will generate an unbeatable force. With the right team anything is possible.

The book has been written in a straight forward, reader-friendly fashion and is full of examples, real experiences, metaphors, thoughts, and stories to pull you easily through and explain the core concepts of the Diamond Model of Teamwork. The Team Approach is designed more for the practitioner than the academician. In a special chapter of the book, the authors explore the unique issues and challenge that leadership teams encounter and how to work through them. So, if you are looking for specific, actionable ideas to implement in your team, you have come to the right place as the authors and their colleagues share insights from 40 years of combined study, consultation, and teaching on the subject of team development.

Regardless of the particular area of interest, readers will come away with renewed motivation to help elevate their team to a new standard of performance.

Steven J. Stowell, Ph.D. is the Founder and President of the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness (CMOE). Founded in 1978, CMOE specializes in management, leadership, and organization development services.

Dr. Stowell is the co-author of The Coach, Creating Partnerships for a Competitive Edge; Win-Win Partnerships, Be on the Leading Edge with Synergistic Coaching; Ahead of the Curve, A Guide to Applied Strategic Thinking; Leading Groups to Solutions; A Practical Guide for Facilitators and Team Members and Teamwork, We Have Met the Enemy and They are Us. Steve has also published articles for Training and Development, ASTD, ASBA, and Executive Excellence magazine.

Steven has delivered workshops and customized learning experiences in over 25 countries. He specializes in developing and training senior leaders and executives to transform organizations into high-performance, team oriented systems. Steve also spends time coaching senior leaders and executives on a one-on-one basis. He co-developed the Exploring Teamwork Workshop that this book is based on. Steve lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his wife, Debbie, and their four children.

Stephanie S. Mead is the Director of Operations for the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness (CMOE) and has spent her career in operations management, consulting, and organization development. Stephanie has built full leadership development curriculums for many organizations. She has also been involved in the creation of blended learning programs, shaped internal organizational policy, worked with organizations in diagnosing training and development needs, facilitated team building workshops, and conducted organization research. She is also the co-author of Ahead of the Curve, A Guide to Applied Strategic Thinking and Leading Groups to Solutions; A Practical Guide for Facilitators and Team Members.

Stephanie Mead worked with Steven Stowell in the development of the Exploring Teamwork Workshop that this book is based on. Stephanie has designed other leadership development workshops on topics such as Applied Strategic Thinking, Innovation and Change, Conflict and Collaboration, and Communication Skills. Stephanie lives in Draper, Utah with her husband, Eric, and their two daughters.