Teams Books

This review is a shorter one I wrote for the journal Personnel Psychology.
I couldn't resist reviewing this book. Its title is beguilingly ambiguous. I had to see what it really meant. Are the authors describing a reality I have yet to discover? Or are they prophesying? Or writing a manifesto? Or wishfully thinking? The authors, both organizational consultants who "have drawn on over thirty years experience with hundreds of organizations," raise and dismiss in the same sentence the fourth interpretation. But can it be so confidently dismissed?

The book was written "as a tool to help build more collaborative, democratic, self-managing organizations." Note the use of multiple qualifiers. Done occasionally would be tolerable, but the authors' habit of frequently tacking three and four onto nouns and of also running trains of verbs and nouns in a single sentence annoyed me a bit (e.g., "---we have separated, disengaged, detached, distinguished, and divided---in order to clarify, categorize, and recommend---.").

Part One is devoted to "making a case for the end of management" through a review and a critique of hierarchies and their management. In tracing the evolution of management, three of the influences posited by the authors had never occurred to me before yet seem quite plausible. They are slavery, then serfdom, and much later on, increasing governmental regulations that the regulated have to increasingly manage. Nor was I aware that the French novelist, Honore de Balzac, and I share the same sentiment, namely, that bureaucracy is "a gigantic power set in motion by dwarfs." I also learned that "hierarchy" stems from the Greek word hieros, which means holy, implying sacred power at the top, and that a contrasting word, "heterarchy," stems from heteros, meaning neighbors.
The authors dust off and briefly examine Taylorism, scientific management, and Theory X rationales. I wish they had gone further in their review to present and debate more recent and starkly opposite arguments, including those that are unabashed paeans to hierarchies and bureaucracies (e.g., du Gay, 2000; Jaques, 1990).

Making their case includes presenting, each in a separate chapter, the familiar arguments that management "reduces communication, morale, and motivation," "constricts quality," and is intransigent, resisting change and innovation. While I think a separate chapter should also have been given to the moral inferiority of hierarchies, it's very clear throughout the book that the authors recognize such organizations foster unethical conduct by their members, and a separate chapter in Part Two is devoted to suggestions on how to "shape a context of values, ethics, and integrity."

The authors argue that hierarchies are the source of bureaucracy, the formal mechanisms that support the organizational structure and provide a "safe haven" where managers can escape accountability and exercise autocratic power. Each of these elements reinforces the other. They also violate, the authors contend, four "value-based propositions" about all people in organizations. One, everyone is a human being, not merely an employee or a human resource. Two, everyone is fully capable of acting responsibly and thriving on challenges. Three, the only natural relationships of any worth aren't hierarchical. And fourth, human beings deserve all of the different dimensions of freedom that should be available to them in an organization, such as the horizontal dimension of cross-functional teams and the "hyperdimension" of community. Regarding this latter observation, the authors' argument most appealing to me affectively is that it's incongruous for people to live in a democracy where they can vote for their country's leaders, yet work in hierarchies where they aren't free to select their organizations' leaders.

Time and again the authors remind us that their case is being made against management as a system rather than against management as a class of people. But the authors often contradict themselves (e.g., "Managers who hold these assumptions---micromanage---restrict----and institute---."), and I wonder if they aren't being a bit disingenuous, for as consultants they do feed off the hands of that class of people. Furthermore, not all management processes or systems are dysfunctional. Performance management, for one, is both inevitable and essential as a process. It couldn't end if you tried, and you wouldn't want to try. It can be done well or poorly, but it will be done. I think all species instinctively manage their own performance.

My assessment of Part One is that the authors make a better case against management on rational than on empirical grounds. What supporting evidence is offered is mostly piecemeal and largely anecdotal. Further, no footnote citations are provided for the few surveys and research studies briefly mentioned, and numerous assertions are made (e.g., "many managers report," "many organizations seek," etc.) with no corroborating evidence given. Even so, the evidence that is provided and all of assertions made do seem relevant and plausible, and I have no reason to doubt the authors "who have been inside enough organizations to know how dysfunctional most of them are."

In Part Two, the authors explain how to use their book as "a practical guide to organizational democracy." It does indeed seem practical, but a caveat is necessary. Almost all of their consulting experiences appear to be with limited interventions in hierarchies, not heterarchies. I found only one instance where the authors' intervention, in this particular case the design of a conflict resolution system, was for a large corporation they say had already been reorganized into self-managing teams. Their guide would thus appear to be untested for making the wholesale, even revolutionary changes they believe are required but apparently have not fully tried anywhere.

I don't mean to be dismissive of the second part, however. To the contrary, I would guess that any business organization that followed the "seven key strategies" the authors describe, each in a separate chapter, would "shift from management to self-management," "hierarchy to heterarchy," and "autocracy to democracy." The authors begin, logically and necessarily I believe, with a strategy for transforming the values of the organization's culture. Then there's a strategy for forming "evolving webs of association" (in contrast, say, to rigid functional departments in a hierarchy), for developing leadership skills throughout the organization, for building self-managing teams, for implementing "streamlined, open, collaborative processes" (e.g., teamwork as opposed to the adversarial processes common to hierarchies), and for creating "complex, self-correcting systems" (i.e. the kind of feedback you won't find in hierarchies). The seventh is having an overall strategy to ensure that all changes are integrated together.

The book ends with a final chapter on "the consequences of organizational democracy." The authors argue that greater organizational democracy is bound to have positive effects not only on members of the organization but also on society and politics.

While I basically agree with the distinguished business professor, Ian I. Mitroff, who endorses the book very favorably as "bristling with wisdom and practical advice," I don't want to conclude without mentioning two more significant faults I find with the book.

Nowhere in the book do I get a sense of whether heterarchies are gaining in number over hierarchies. I don't think the authors know or even tried to know, yet I would have expected them to know or try to know given the book's title and their treatment of the subject. They waffle on the matter, too. They say, for instance, that "---management continues, with few exceptions, to manage autocratically---." Then they turn around and say, "We have reached---the end of management---." Perhaps their waffling simply reflects what may be an accurate observation during a transitional period, for when I read the research literature on organizations, some findings suggest a shift towards heterarchies, (e.g., Purser & Cabana, 1998), some don't (e.g., Koch & Godden, 1996), and some are totally silent on the matter (e.g., Collins, 2001; Collins & Porras, 1994).

Secondly, the authors fail to differentiate sufficiently between business and government organizations. The latter have an endless lifeline to taxpayer pockets and no market incentive whatsoever to undertake the seven strategies toward heterarchies, no matter how strong of a case is made for making the shift. It will be the 12th of Never, I say, when heterarchies prevail in government.

In closing, if you are simply interested in the subject of if you do consulting in the subject area and regardless of whether you already appreciate arguments for heterarchies, I would recommend you read this book. If you are also empirically bent, then this book alone won't totally satisfy you unless you already know what's happening out there.

References

Collins, JC. (2001). Good to great. NY, NY: Harper Business.

Collins, JC. & Porras, JF. (1994). Built to last. NY, NY: Harper Business.


du Gay, P. (2000). In praise of bureaucracy: Weber, Organization, Ethics. London: Sage Publications.

Jaques, E. (1990). In praise of hierarchy. Harvard Business Review, 68, 127-133.

Koch, R. & Godden, I. (1996). Managing without management: A manifesto. London: Nicholas Brealey.

Purser, RE. & Cabana, S. (1998). The self-managing organization: How leading companies are transforming the work of teams for real impact. NY, NY: The Free Press.

Newscasts are filled with reports of democracy's relentless spread across the planet, but less is heard of its expansion through the corporate world. Just as dictators and oligarchs everywhere are being toppled from power, the hierarchical management structures that have governed organizations since before the industrial revolution are falling. Their usurper is self-management - the concept that motivated employees empowered to make their own decisions will work harder, faster and smarter than their rigidly controlled counterparts. Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith document this organizational coup and instruct executives on how to incite the revolution in their own companies. While acknowledging the scarcity of hard data to prove some of the book's assertions, we from getAbstract highly recommend The End of Management to all executives for its innovative take on modern organizational theory.

This is the best book on the changing face of management that I've read in 10 years. As part of the new Warren Bennis Management series, it provides the framework for the new Organizational Democracy and how it can (and should!) replace the outdated, ineffective heirarchical forms of management most common today. If you manage or lead a team, department or organization and desire to manage less and produce more, this is the book for you. I felt the same excitement in reading this book as I did when I read Drucker's classic many years ago.

The chapter entitled "A Brief History of Management" is worth the price of the book -- and its just 10 pages. In the rest of the book you will be given step-by-step guidance for implementing a new way of managing. Among the many practical applications of this book, you will learn:

How to shape Values
How to create Webs of Association
How to develop Self-managing Teams
How to implement Effective Process
and How to produce Self-correcting Systems.

Management (Drucker) is dead, long live management (Cloke).

Nelson Searcy, Chief Innovation Officer, Smartleadership.com

Interesting insights from a couple of guys who have been there. Well written and certainly educational.

I have just finished reading Equipped to Lead and found it hard to put down between oportunities. I read the book in two afternoons sitting on my balcony on a beautiful Ohio summer afternoon. Having been in the world of senior management for some 45 years, it appears as if Galen Walters and Dan Sanders have opened the door for many who have struggled with the chaos that seems to prevail throughout industry today. I share many, if not all, the philosophical approaches outlined in this wonderful book.

If all of us in senior management responsibilities would implement, at least to some degree, the 4P system, I believe our worlds would be more acceptable and profitable. The profit would not only be financial but personally rewarding as well. I have tried to always put people first and it has not been an easy task. When you put the people, process, partners and performance altogether, then the result will equal success.

My personal compliments to the team of Walters and Sanders for a great piece of work.

As the Managing Partner of national consulting firm, I have the privilege of interacting with senior executives of Fortune 500 companies on a regular basis. Almost without exception, these leaders are always looking for a better way to manage their company and utilize the resources with which they are entrusted. I truly believe that Equipped to Lead provides one of the most innovative and practical management systems that I have ever seen. Whether you are managing a small family owned business or a multinational corporation, this management system will provide you with new ideas that can be immediately implemented.

One section of the book I found interesting in Equipped to Lead was that of the importance of sparking passion in employees so that the employees can identify with a higher purpose and thereby "become builders and not custodians". Another interesting and unique concept was the development of a "Prioritization Table". This should be used daily by anyone in a management capacity. And finally, the 4P's used to monitor and manage People, Processes, Partners and Performance is exceptional.

I have known one of the authors, Galen Walters for over 45 years. Galen started a graphics design and printing business, literally in a back room of his house. He grew that business to be one of the national powerhouses in the printing industry. During this time, Galen developed a magnificent management system and methodology that I believe, was in large part, responsible for his success. He named it the 4P's. In this book, Galen Walters and Dan Sanders clearly and concisely lay out for the reader this refreshing and unique approach to management. This is one of those rare management programs that is not just conceptual or theory but was developed and proven over and over again in the building of a very successful business. It is the type of program that should make a major impact on the bottom line of any organization.

I found Equipped to Lead to be outstanding and would consider it a must read for anyone in management, in business or for anyone contemplating going into business.

A nice synopsis of the history of the San Francisco Giants.
Quick and easy read....I enjoy it...A book to reference.

I love this book! If you are an SF Giants fan, or just a baseball fan in general, you'll enjoy Fifty Years by the Bay. Author Chuck Nan has really capsulized the SF Giants and their half-century in SF with great stories, stats and facts. I totally recommend this book!

Although the 1958 Giants were a little ahead of my time, author Steve Bitker really brought the Giants to life with his narrative of this historic team entering a new city. The real gem of this book, however, was Bitker's interviews with the members of the team. I really enjoyed reading first-hand accounts of players like Mike McCormick, Willie Kirkland, Leon Wagner, Stu Miller and yes, Willie Mays, etc. -- all players that I followed in the 1960s. Each player had his own unique insights on the team, the sport and his own life that really made me feel like I knew these guys. A must-have book not only for just Giants fans, but for baseball fans.

First Business Start-Up by William L. Russell is a solid, "user friendly", how-to guide specifically and accessibly written for non-specialist general readers of all experience levels in the business world wanting to launch their own commercial enterprise. Solid information and coherent step-by-step worksheets help the reader to evaluate whether or not their business idea is solid, and offers guidance in selecting the best business team in order to increase the odds of success. Regardless of the product to be produced or the service to be offered, First Business Start-Up is a "must-read" for anyone seriously interested in becoming their own boss!

So you think you want to go into business for yourself; well, this is commendable, but have you the basic or rudimentary knowledge so necessary to make a go of it? Yes, you have spoken with your father-in-law and your Uncle Jess once or twice and maybe some other tycoons or captains of industry, but are you really sure that their paternal or avuncular advise will be enough? Could it be that they have left out some important considerations such as formulating a business plan or securing venture capital?

Hopeful entrepreneur, do not go into the dark woods alone! William L. Russell's First Business Start-Up is a down to earth, no-nonsense approach to help you create and develop your own business dream or venture. It is a valuable guidebook designed to help you succeed. Mr. Russell has had his fair share of bumps and burses over his fifty years of owning and managing a variety of businesses, and he is willing to show you his painful scars and provide you with invaluable information so that you will not experience his pain and make the same costly mistakes. In short, William L.Russell's First Business Start-Up is a must read if you are really serious about making your dreams a reality and becoming a successful business owner and operator.

First Business Start-Up is written in a very interesting and easily understandable style. The usual topics, such as evaluating your business ideas, market analysis, business plans, financial reporting, and so forth, are covered in both real life story form and descriptive detail - which both drives home the points and makes for enjoyable reading of normally dry subjects. However, the surprise bonus for the reader is the chapters on business failures and "Failure Hall of Famers." Drawing from his personal experiences, Mr. Russell adds in story fashion a dimension that will enable future entreprenuers to recognize paradighms and pitfalls that may result in severly shatterd income statements and wallets.

While the information is practical and informative, the real and insightful stories that highlight the applications are worth the price of the book.

If you are not familiar with Freddy I suggest you read "Freddy the Detective" first to see how he became a detective.
Now this may very well be his greatest adventure for kids of all ages.
Once again Freddy is confronted with many overlapping mysteries. One of the Marinas (Two Clicks) is missing. And Freddy must use some of his best disguises in the investigation. As with Freddy stories there are many adult concepts that are brought up in the story and one must know where loyalty lies and be ware of deceit.
Now have fun and learn how the ABI (Animal Bureau of Investigation) helps solve the mysteries.

Surely the best Freddy the Pig book, Freddy and the Baseball Team from Mars is humorous and delightful. From the martians, to Simon and the rat gang, to Mr. Hercules, this book is a must-read, Freddy fan or not!

If you are not familiar with Freddy I suggest you read "Freddy the Detective" first to see how he became a detective.
Now this may very well be his greatest adventure for kids of all ages.
Once again Freddy is confronted with many overlapping mysteries. One of the Marinas (Two Clicks) is missing. And Freddy must use some of his best disguises in the investigation. As with Freddy stories there are many adult concepts that are brought up in the story and one must know where loyalty lies and be ware of deceit.
Now have fun and learn how the ABI (Animal Bureau of Investigation) helps solve the mysteries.

A very good handbook when you live in a very uncertain world with no job tenure or job security. Anyone reading the book in the context of career management will find it useful as the sections are generally short and to the point. Also key points are 'bulleted' so it is easy to 'digest' them. The cycle of separating => redefining => positioning => sustaining is very lucidly explained and supported with short case stories. Many of us have to re-invent ourselves; this is a useful handy book to have for thriving in a world that will eventually be dominated by free agents. Even though the book is written for an American readership, it is equally applicable to anywhere on planet earth!

Whether you are a contract or temporary employee, a consultant or freelancer, or working internally in management or on the front-line, FREE AGENTS is a wonderful gamebook for understanding the new world of work. It clearly explains the new rules of the workplace, and what individuals need to do to succeed, adn what organizatitions need to do to attract the individuals that will enable them to succeed. FREE AGENTS presents a clear and accessible four step process for individuals to become FREE AGENTS. It provides strategies and tips for individuals to answer four critical questions: What is the market that I want to serve? What are the unmet needs of this market? What are the assets I bring that can meet these need? How can I continue to acquire new skills, experiences, and relationships that enable me to sustain my employability in that market? This book helped me understand how I need to change my attitudes and actions to create and sustain my own employability. It also helped me see what companies are doing to attract individuals with the skills they need to succeed.

A well-written and logical exploration of the new workplace for both the "employee" & "employer". Defines roles and scenarios for "Free Agents" who shape their careers within one company as well as those who move from company to company. It goes well below the surface (and platitudes) of most self-help books to give real concepts and tools for developing your career and marketability, independent of a specific job or title. It also gives usable guidelines to employers on how to maximize the strengths of "Free Agents" to help grow the company. Case studies highlight the key elements

The Garden and the Knicks, a match made in heaven. This book delivers the best insight into the New York Knicks and its best players. From Clyde, to Willis, from Patrick to Houston, this book tells it all. Even has some great storys and pictures of the Old Garden a definent must read

this is a Must have Book for any Fan of the NBA.this Book talks about all of the Great Knicks&is truly Great to reflect on.those Great Knicks Days seems so long ago but they really weren't that long ago.Clyde the Glide,Earl The Pearl through the Present.

If you're a Knicks fan - or even just a basketball junkie - Garden Glory is for you. An easy read with great stories told by those who lived it. I could never have gone to the Old Garden, but the mental pictures the book creates is marvelous.

But the big unanswered question that I need to know is: What was Spree REALLY wearing when they came to his house in Milwaukee?

A must read...

A very classy, smart and very significant account of our beloved, and adored Heroes. It left me complete as to somehow different, a knowing of sorts as to why I love the Yankees so much.

Well-researched with a terrific writing style. Thoroughly enjoyable book on an under-reported (yet tremendously interesting) era in Yankee history.

Hopefully this is only a first effort by author, Ray Istorico. Baseball fans could use many more, although I suspect that the depth and breadth of research required to put together "Greatness in Waiting" precludes many more volumes. Wonderfully illustrated with almost 200 photographs, Istorico brings the so-called "dead-ball" era alive. Overall quality of writing and story telling is excellent, and after reading the book, Istorico leaves the reader yearning for a return to this more simple and pure form of sport. Buy this book !

very timely delivery, and cheaper than the bookstore! book was in great condition and overall great service

This book is outstanding! Full of great theories that can be bridged to real life experiences. Was the source of key information during our class on Work Groups & Teams in Organizations. I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to form a cohesive team in their organization.

It covers a breadth of various topics in Group Dynamics. It doesn't go into too much depth though but it suffices in getting the reader's feet wet on the subject.

A tremendous discussion and reference of the nuts and bolts for all kinds of teaming in the IT world. It's loaded with nuances related to teaming that you won't easily find in one place. It's also a good review, thinker, and is exceptionally well researched and written. I definitely reccomend this book to anyone who is serious about adding to their skills in this often overlooked but necessary specialty.

This book is a comprehensive analysis of the points throughout development life cycles where team collaboration is appropriate for creating deliverables. Formats and methods for conducting team workshops are set out in great detail, based on the organizational environment, project type, end result desired, and particular phase of the life cycle. Jones proposes a "framework" for development which he calls Team Design and which he contrasts with Joint Application Development (JAD) and other group methods. Jones defines five Formats (Business Process Design, Requirements Definition, Application Design, Team Planning, Decision Making) under which almost any development project or part thereof can be placed. He devotes separate chapters to each Format, defining for each Format the life-cycle steps within the Format, the workshop agenda activities that apply to each phase of the life-cycle, and recommended workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, scoping diagrams, scenario analysis) that can develop the deliverables for the phase. Team Design comprises a generic set of life-cycle Phases (Initiating, Scoping, Visualizing, Usage, Packaging, Validating) that can be mapped to each of the five Formats. For each Phase, Jones then recommends certain workshop methods that can be used regardless of the Format. This allows flexibility in analyzing all the factors facing a Project Manager and Facilitator (organization type, project type, end result, life-cycle phase) and adapting a workshop plan that will apply best. It also allows for bridging of experience with workshop methods across different Formats. Jones also deals in depth with a wide variety of topics related to team-based development, including: · JAD and Participatory Design: A survey of the history of these two group-based methods, and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses in various environments · Facilitation: The scope of Facilitation; the technical competencies required of a Facilitator in a development environment; in-depth description of facilitation tools (e.g., conflict resolution, problem solving) and workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, diagramming, Pareto charts), and their applicability · Requirements: Analysis of the major problems faced by organizations in creating and managing requirements, and how Team Design can address those problems · Team Dynamics: The phases of team development; team-building techniques; special issues involving workgroups comprising members with different functional backgrounds · Organizational Culture: The impact of organizational dynamics on a company's receptiveness to structured methods and team-based approaches to development

This book is a comprehensive analysis of the points throughout development life cycles where team collaboration is appropriate for creating deliverables. Formats and methods for conducting team workshops are set out in great detail, based on the organizational environment, project type, end result desired, and particular phase of the life cycle.

Jones proposes a "framework" for development which he calls Team Design and which he contrasts with Joint Application Development (JAD) and other group methods. Jones defines five Formats (Business Process Design, Requirements Definition, Application Design, Team Planning, Decision Making) under which almost any development project or part thereof can be placed. He devotes separate chapters to each Format, defining for each Format the life-cycle steps within the Format, the workshop agenda activities that apply to each phase of the life-cycle, and recommended workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, scoping diagrams, scenario analysis) that can develop the deliverables for the phase.

Team Design comprises a generic set of life-cycle Phases (Initiating, Scoping, Visualizing, Usage, Packaging, Validating) that can be mapped to each of the five Formats. For each Phase, Jones then recommends certain workshop methods that can be used regardless of the Format. This allows flexibility in analyzing all the factors facing a Project Manager and Facilitator (organization type, project type, end result, life-cycle phase) and adapting a workshop plan that will apply best. It also allows for bridging of experience with workshop methods across different Formats.

Jones also deals in depth with a wide variety of topics related to team-based development, including: (1) JAD and Participatory Design: A survey of the history of these two group-based methods, and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses in various environments; (2) Facilitation: The scope of Facilitation; the technical competencies required of a Facilitator in a development environment; in-depth description of facilitation tools (e.g., conflict resolution, problem solving) and workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, diagramming, Pareto charts), and their applicability; (3) Requirements: Analysis of the major problems faced by organizations in creating and managing requirements, and how Team Design can address those problems; (4) Team Dynamics: The phases of team development; team-building techniques; special issues involving workgroups comprising members with different functional backgrounds; and (5) Organizational Culture: The impact of organizational dynamics on a company's receptiveness to structured methods and team-based approaches to development.