Great Teams
In sport and business alike, what charactirizes teams that stand out through excellence?
Author(s): Don Yaeger
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date of publication: 2016
Manageris opinion
Don Yaeger cites many examples taken from sports to identify the origins of team excellence. What are the shared values, behaviors and engagement drivers that enable some teams to successfully surmount challenge after challenge and rapidly rebound in the event of failure? The book is organized around 16 characteristics that define great teams: caring about the “why”, consistency in recruiting, how problems are addressed, etc. For each point, the author starts by describing an example drawn from the sports world, and then draws parallels with the business world.
The common thread of the book is the importance of culture. Indeed, teams with a strong identity and a strong culture are the most cohesive and work most effectively together to surmount the challenges encountered. It places particular emphasis on the importance of developing team spirit, continuous learning, agility and perseverance—qualities often found in great athletes, as well as in the world of business.
Even if the comparisons between athletes and employees sometimes have their limits, this book perfectly illustrates the behaviors needed to succeed over the long term, and especially the importance of culture to guide the efforts of a team from day to day—whether on the basketball court or in a company!
