Book Description

A new edition of the book that lead the self-directed work teams revolution. Leading Self-Directed Work Teams is one of the best-selling books on teams ever published. Now, the perfect guide for any team leader has been revised and expanded to reflect the new realities of team-based organizations. By explaining how team leaders differ from conventional supervisors, this informative volume which is based on the author's successful seminars and workshops is especially useful for those managers who move from hierarchical to participatory structures.

This edition feature more practical examples and techniques than in the previous edition, new research, dozens of tips and checklists, case studies, and valuable training exercises. It has been used and praised by experts at Motorola, M.I.T., AT&T and many other organizations.

Reviews (7)

All MILITARY Leaders Need This Book
***The second industrial revolution is definitely in full swing. As we progress from the traditional style organizational leadership and head towards team-building and progressive leadership, this book illuminates what will work. So many leaders in the military have failed to adapt to the cultural changes of the new millenium, and thus the failure to retain Officers and Enlisted alike. All military leaders must accept that fact that EMPOWERMENT is the key to organizational success. This book defines what empowerment is and how to effectively implement the "Self-Directed Work Teams." Covers what a true leader is how "barking direct orders" is not effective as empowering others to perform. Set boundaries instead of rules. I am a military Officer and have seen many times the follies that many Officers make when making leadership decisions. This book not only shows you what is wrong with the traditional systems, but also how to implement effective leadership.

*******A MUST READ FOR ALL MILITARY LEADERS AND CIVILIAN MANAGERS*** DEFINETLY A GREAT BOOK!!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ALL AS A GROWING TOOL. READ IT, LEARN IT, USE IT!

Lessons from an Experienced Practitioner


This book is a solid how-to manual for leading self-directed work teams. Kimball does a great job of explaining what self-directed teams are all about and how to lead them.

Leading self-directed team may sound like paradox, but these teams need a special type of leadership. This book goes beyond theory to explain the realities of making these teams really work. Easy-to-read with plenty of examples.

• Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS

Insightful!
Kimball Fisher provides a revised, updated look at the techniques for successfully leading self-directed work teams (SDWTs). He draws on basic principles described in his earlier book of the same name. SDWTs are effective, and growing in popularity. Fisher focuses on how leaders must adapt to make them work. He emphasizes the need to truly empower and support workers. He underscores the importance of making the team adaptable to the work itself, rather than clinging to a particular structure. Fisher combines principles with examples and how-to tips that you can apply in your own organization. He provides good summaries of each chapter's highlights. We [...] recommend this well-organized, clearly written book. While some of its contents are similar to recent books on creating teams, empowering employees and using a better management style, it is an excellent recap and a good guide for anyone new to team-building methods.

The Heart of Modern Management
Kimball Fisher writes about the heart of modern management, the need to develop employees at all-levels and tap latent organizational resources through the emphasis of employee involvement in team-based programs.

Fisher makes many of his points through analogies, which makes his work a delight to read, and easy to remember. Two of his analogies have taken a firm hold in my mind. The first is about the difference between the Shephard and the Sheep herder, and the second about not "eating the sausage." Both analogies describe the need for management to support workers, so as to create quality and efficiency in the absence of rigid oversight.

The book is well-written and easy to read, with information compartimantalized in understandable "sound-bites." The book is packed with models and concepts which promote the use of team based programs, and descibe the proper roles of team members and management.

If teams are the Religion, then this is the Bible!
This book is our standard as we begin to build the team concept. The quote, "If teams are the Religion, then this is the Bible" comes from a senior manager in our company who has PASSION for the team concept. I am an internal OD consultant and I have a healthy background in the development of self directed teams. I used to consider "Self Directed Work Teams, the New American Challenge" by Orsburn, Moran, Musselwhite and Zenger to be the standard. Since then I have read a lot of works on the concept of self directed teams, and this Fisher book is a great book, at the top of the heap. Reason? Because as a practitioner you can USE it. ... Read more

Book Description

First presented as an idea 30 years ago, servant leadership is based on selflessly serving one’s team, organization, or community rather than power, domination, or self-interest. The Serving Leader presents the simple truth of this idea in a fresh parable about a dying father reunited with his estranged son and only child. This second book in the Ken Blanchard series of short inspirational empowerment texts offers a practical "action approach" to servant leadership. The five lessons Mike learns from his father — upend the pyramid, raise the bar, blaze the trail, build on strength, and run to great purpose — can be applied equally to life and work. The Serving Leader’s moving story, memorable characters, and strong insights make it as exciting as it is educational. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Book for Business and Not for Profit Leaders
The Serving Leader, by Jennings and Stahl-Wert, is a great read for business and not for profit leaders. While it characterizes the stories of amazing serving leaders throughout the country, it also spells out the steps to becoming a servant leader. Professionals who are searching for a deeper meaning to life and work will find this book extremely rewarding. Epitomizing the attributes of serving leaders, it encourages you to continue your work by compiling the stories of others who have battled the same challenges. It is a small book, a quick read but the impact could be huge!

A Call To Action
In The Serving Leader, Jennings and Stahl-Wert strike a deep chord of resonance for readers who are quietly serving and leading in the trenches of public, private, and non-profit sectors. There's an instrinsic rallying call in this book to these persons to embrace their destinies as serving leaders, to seek out and team up with like-minded souls in their networks, and then to get on with the work of great purpose to which they are committed. A good read with potentially life-changing ramifications.

Getting It Right
What most impressed me about this book was that the authors got the order of things right. By that I mean, they let the story unfold in a way that meets most people's expectations about how things work -- so they meet people where they are, and that's one form of getting it right. And they build a model that makes it clear that those expectations are exactly what prevent us from getting our priorities straight. That model gets it EXACTLY right. For people who yearn for a different kind of leadership than the Peter Pan stuff we get every day, but don't want a lot of heavy theory, this is a great introduction to a better way.

Moving
Jennings and Stahl-Wert make this a very easy read. You learn by osmosis. Do not read it on the plane. It's embarrassing when you are brought to tears. I can't wait for the sequel.

They understand what they're talking about
The book reads beautifully, and the story moved me to tears. What I most appreciate is the fact that Dr. Jennings and Dr. Stahl-Wert are practitioners of what they preach. This book rings true from start to finish. These men know what they're talking about. I'm working to become more of the kind of serving leader in my work and at home this book so clearly teaches. They're working at it, too. All of this is very encouraging! ... Read more

Book Description

Includes everything a Six Sigma facilitator needs to lead Six Sigma training

The Six Sigma Basic Training Kit, complete with facilitator notes, learning exercises, case studies, and more, is a series of training modules for any company that is implementing Six Sigma. It provides everything a trainer needs to take a quality improvement team through the Six Sigma process step by step, from appreciating quality to creating and executing a quality-improvement plan.

Classic, simple processes developed by the world-famous Juran Institute have been turned into easy training modules on how to:

• Identify business processes needing improvement
• Work as a team on the solution
• Track time and cost savings that result from the new process, and more

Reviews (4)

expensive & dissapointing
I am an ASQ certified Black Belt and a Six Sigma Trainer in Germany. I expected a good help for instruction but I was extremely dissapointed. This Kit contains no cd or disc with powerpoint slides. The contents are very primitive and not very helpful in training any students with a little experience in quality management. The name Six Sigma Training Kit is in my eyes wrong because it contains nearly only basic quality tools found in better publications. This time the name "Juran" doesn't guarantee quality. For 10% of the price buy better Rath&Strong's Pocket Guide!

Perfect for training non-technical students
Although the tools are not what one would consider core 6-Sigma tools (i.e., no control charts), this book is still a worthwhile training kit. Its main value is to provide a firm grounding in the basics for non-technical members of an organization that is implementing 6-Sigma. When used for that purpose the book gives the trainer or facilitator a clearly laid out syllabus for teaching what 6-Sigma means and why it's important to organizations from quality and competitive advantage perspectives.

In addition to providing a roadmap for teaching the what's and why's, the syllabus also covers a number of concepts and tools that will prove useful to anyone from admin assistant to line manager, including a good understanding of quality, cause analysis, powerful, but simple, tools (cause and effect, flow and Pareto diagrams and charts).

For the professional trainer or facilitator the book epitomizes what excellent training documentation should look like. The layout makes good use of white space, the writing is clear, and the use of tables and graphics enhance learning.

If you are a trainer or facilitator this book will dramatically shorten course design and provide you with solid training materials. It is not suited for advanced training in 6-Sigma techniques, however, but for the target audience I cited above it's perfect.

Should be called "Six Sigma for Dummies (sans cartoons)"
Overall, the quality of this book is adequate, provided you aren't expecting a thorough treatment. That, in itself, would've rated it three stars if there wasn't one mitigating factor - in reading this book, one could (easily) assume the Juran Group (or Juran himself) invented Six Sigma, and nothing could be further from the truth. (As best as I know, it was Bob Gavin, in 1988.)

Egoism drops the rating to two stars.

This book is a good basic overview - nothing more. Save yourself the grief (and money!) and buy the Pyzdek book instead.

A positive review with some constructive comments
The book is a very good tool to use to teach the basics of Six Sigma. The training guide is exact, clear, and concise as is the participant guide.
It is a BASIC course and as such, it contains no statistical tools.
Now for the bad.
The paper of the manual is very flimsy and apt to tear.
The participant guide section starts with page number 201. I thought perhaps it should start with page 1.
On some of the Participant pages, at the bottom it gives a web address to go to if you would like to download an electronic (MS Word) customizable document. I went there, and could not figure out how to do so.

I think the book is an excellent basic training kit, as advertised, but handle the manual gingerly, the pages more than likely to tear. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Outdated, Incomplete, and...
...I just wanted to write a short review to share valuable information regarding this book with others that may buy it without realizing the book's limitations.

First of all, the PMP exam has recently gone some significant changes (like the significant number of questions on the Professional Responsibility section) and this book was published way before that. The PMBOK Guide that this book was based on has also been updated and the latest edition is now available. So, this book is clearly outdated.

Second, this book is nothing but a pocket guide that has 170 questions and answers (with some explanations). As a side note, the actual test has 200 questions! So, I don't see why anyone would want a book whose sole purpose is to provide an actual test simulation but only has 85% of the actual test length.

Third, I bought this book for [money] which is too much for what's inside (just 170 questions and their answers). The reason I bought it was that a few years back there wasn't much else available (or I wasn't aware of much else that was available), so I felt that something was better than nothing.

These days, there are other really good books that provide similar content more effectively. Two of them being - PMP Study Guide by Kim Heldman and PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy (the latter is the best book out there to prepare for the PMP). Read my review on the PMP Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy book for more information on PMP preparation.

By the way, in case you are wondering, I do have my PMP certification. I hope you found this information helpful and good luck with the PMP exam!

PMBOK: Q & A Review
This is a good Question & Answers study guide to the more important companion book (Project Management Institute's PMBOK 2000) guide. I believe it has value to check your understanding of the material in the companion guide. It has a 170 sample questions with corresponding answers. The certification exam however has 200 questions so I am not sure what if anything is missing....

Not very helpful
This book was not very helpful in my preparations for the PMP exam (which I just passed). The style of the questions is not anything like the exam and the materials focused mainly on the PMBOK rather than a wider view of all PM concepts. I would not recommend spending the money for this book...rather spend you money on the ESI materials and sample tests.

UPDATE:
The ESI materials are:

PMP CHALLENGE by Ward (published by ESI International)
PMP EXAM: PRACTICE TEST by Ward (also published by ESI)

Not so great PMP prep book
This is not a very useful book for preparing for the PMP exam. The answer format does not match the actual exam, e.g. (A) I and II only, (B) I, II and III only, (C) IV only, etc. The actual exam does not follow this format ... maybe the older exams did. There are four possible answers for each question on the exam, not five as it is in this book. Several questions/answers were taken pretty much word for word from the PMBOK rather than well crafted questions which force you to think instead of simply memorizing the answers.

Project management
For a step by step overview of project management PMBOK is the way to go. PMBOK is very informitive and shows you how to organize the chaos of running a project. It anticipates your needs as a manager and tells you how to overcome the potential obsticles. ... Read more

Book Description

Most people in organizations tend to manage projects either as realists or humanists. You Don't Have to Do It Alone brings together the practical view of the realist and the people-oriented view of the humanist, combining the best of both approaches into one role: the "Pragmatic Involver." Covering everything from solving a nagging long-term problem at work that could save a company millions of dollars, to launching a community movement to improve local schools, the book shows how involving others in a project while maintaining one's focus on the nuts-and-bolts details can make big things happen. Using the authors' six major questions - each of which is explored in detail - You Don't Have to Do It Alone shows how success can be attained in a project on any scale, from redesigning a manufacturing process at a paper mill to creating an effective youth center. ... Read more

Book Description

Deals with staff turnover, a major cost factor in the hospitality industry. Takes a common-sense approach to why people leave and what can be done about it. Treats such issues as rapport between staff and management, training, salary structure and wages, incentives, performance reviews and disciplinary procedures. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Recommended for restaurant managers
This is book is a winner. For those of you restaurant managers battling high turnover (as most of us are!), this book will open your eyes to how your staff perceives you and your management style.

Full of practical advice on how to hire the right people in the first place, how to develop and motivate the staff you have, and how to improve morale and employee loyalty, this book will inspire you to get to work and starting turning things around! ... Read more

Book Description

Laurie Beth Jones has given hundreds of thousands of business readers insight into how the ideas of Jesus can be used to enhance performance. One of the most critical work areas for anyone, whether a manager or a CEO, a teacher or a pastor, is cooperative teamwork. Leaders today face their greatest challenges not only in defining strategies and getting updated information but also in getting diverse human beings to pull together without falling apart.

Jesus can be a role model for team leaders everywhere. When Jesus called out to his future disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” he transformed them from people who worked for themselves to people who were part of a larger team. Jesus was constantly exhorting his people to “gather in my name” and “go out two by two” and always think and pray “as one.”Jesus’ final prayer was “that they might be one, Father, even as you and I are one,” which is ultimately about union and communion, common values and purpose—all of which form the bedrock of an inspired team.

Teach Your Team to Fish offers dozens of stories from the Bible showing how Jesus managed his team of disciples and other followers, with suggestions for how to apply these lessons to real-world teambuilding and management problems. It offers guidance and inspiration on:

* how to excite your team in order to motivate them;
* how to ground them so they’ll be realistic about what can be achieved;
* how to transform them into a truly well-functioning team;
* and how to release them into the world to improve other teams elsewhere.

Along the way, the book gives examples of companies in which teams work well together and offers lessons that can help team leaders everywhere sustain themselves and achieve their common goals. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

unbelievable
I am French and for us it is unbelievable how in the US religion and management could be mixed. This book is a good example. It is nice to read it even if some chapters are a bit strange : "He (Jesus) understood mergers and acquisitions" using as an example "a sower went out to sow ...".

Teach Your Team to Fish
This book is a wonderful tool for focusing on the importance of your relationship with the people in your team or your employees. It gives a simple, easy to read, but important message on working with people using the example of Jesus and his disciples. I highly recommend it to anyone who manages/supervises people including children! Well written and well worth the read. ... Read more

Book Description

What are the secrets of successful teams? Why do some teams achieve remarkable success while others fail or are consigned to mediocrity? To find the answers, Carl E. Larson and Frank M. J. LaFasto conducted a three-year study of teams and team achievement. Interviewing a wide range of teams, including the space shuttle Challenger investigation team, executive management teams and a championship football team, Larson and LaFasto discovered a surprising consistency in the characteristics of effective teams.

In Teamwork, they explore the eight properties of successful teams: a clear, elevating goal; a results-driven structure; competent team members; unified commitment; collaborative climate; standards of excellence; external support and recognition; and principled leadership. A final chapter examines the priority of the steps that lead to the building of a high performance team. The authors strive to make the concepts concrete, coupling solid theory with straightforward, practical advice on how to apply it and with lively, fascinating anecdotes.

The volume will appeal to practitioners, scholars, and advanced students in the areas of organization studies and management, as well as interpersonal communication.

"We believe it is an important book that will be very useful to the sport psychology community. Its brief and readable nature makes it an ideal supplementary text for courses in the social psychology of sport or sport-related group dynamics. It could also be used in research methods courses to provide insight into qualitative data collection procedures. In addition, coaches and mental skills consultants will find much valuable information here about the evaluation and enhancement of team functioning. Finally, researchers will be intrigued by Larson and LaFasto's eight-category framework and their brief description of a rating-scale instrument designed to assess these dimensions of team effectiveness. Given this diversity of potential uses, we urge our colleagues to examine Teamwork for themselves."
--The Sport Psychologist

"(A) superb effort conducted by the authors. . . . A must read."
--HR Planning Newsletter

"Teamwork attempts an ambitious goal in a small number of pages and succeeds quite well. . . . The authors have useful and interesting things to say--things that fit well with what other studies and authors have concluded and with what the teams they studied experienced and concluded. A prime audience for this book would be managers and team members with a modest 'academic bent' who want guidance on how to make their teams work more effectively and who are willing to listen to the reasons why the authors make their suggestions and how they reach their conclusions. Students and academics who are looking for a wise and balanced attempt to capture what we seem to be learning about what works in groups should also find this refreshingly short volume valuable."
--Journal of Management

"Larson and LaFasto provide a brief, efficient, and well-focused checklist of principles for managing group processes. The authors report on the results of a relatively systematic, 3-year program on in-depth interviews with participants from 'successful teams'--e.g., a Mount Everest expedition; DeBakey-Cooley cardiac surgery teams; a Notre Dame championship football team; several business executive and project management teams; Presidential cabinets; and disaster response teams--to come up with some '. . . distinguishing features of effectively functioning teams. . . .' Practicing managers should have no difficulty identifying with anecdotes described in this book. A list of characteristics parallels the chapter outlines of this good organizational behavior textbook written from a management process perspective. . . . It is hard to imagine a more efficient way to capture the fundamentals than the way Larson and LaFasto have done it. Newly appointed supervisors without a formal organizational behavior and management process course--and any practicing manager who could use a quick brushup--will find this guidebook useful."
--Human Resource Planning

"Teamwork [is] one of the best and most concise handbooks on team management around. No one interested in teamwork should miss reading this guide."
--The Learning Edge ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Rational Approach to Teamwork
There's an enormous amount of reading material on teams and teamwork and this book is one of the best.Its highly rational approach condenses studies of high performing teams.The authors found eight common characteristics and explain in enough detail why they are important.They include excerpts from the leaders and teams they have studied.They also state that the two most common reasons for team failure are politics and personal agendas.They include a quote from Duke Drake: "The minute the politicians take over and start worrying about what's in it for me, you're dead in the water."

Teams are the only way to address our increasingly interrelated and complex problems.In practice teamwork is rare and the reason may be that many managers advance due to their political ability.I doubt that upper managers will ever be able to truly give up the skills that brought them there.

A enjoyable and useful book
These authors studied all different sorts of teams (everything from a Mount Everest expedition and a Notre Dame championship football teams to the group that invented Chicken McNuggets) in order to determine what they had in common. The book is highly readable and describes eight common principles that could be implemented to improve the function of any team. It is also full of interesting comments and stories from the study. I highly recommend the book for any team member (not only managers) since the book also clearly describes how the individal can influence the success of the entire team.

Top-shelf book on teams. A foundation text.
Larson and LaFasto put their outstanding research into easy-to-understand language. The book is foundation reading for executives and team members who want to understand the key variables that spell success for teams. Andit's an easy-reading 138 pages presented so anyone (5th grade readinglevel!) can understand their findings. I know the authors, and have theutmost respect for their scientific methodology and experience. We use thematching team/ leadership assessment and training program to help clientorganizations plan, build, and fix their teams. Really an excellent reader,and a foundation of our consulting practice. ... Read more

Book Description

A direct sales superstar offers his tips on how to manage and grow quotabusting sales teams

One of today's fastest-growing enterprise sectors, direct sales employs 10 million people. Of that number, 2 million are managers. The most respected name in the business and a living legend, Michael Malaghan has done more than $2 billion worth of direct sales business over the past decade. In Making Millions in Direct Sales, he shares what he knows about assembling, managing, and motivating supercharged sales teams. Managers and those who aspire to become managers learn:

• Eight essential activities every direct sales manager must master
• 14 great motivators every sales manager should know
• How to combine sales contents and commissions in a unified motivational system

Book Description

So, you've empowered your teams to make the decisions that lead to success. But how do you measure their progress and keep them accountable? This book outlines a field-tested measurement system that can be customized to fit any team. It's a system that involves every team member as it factors in customer concerns, organizational strategy, and other big-picture issues critical to success. Case studies of teams that have used this approach--including the winners of Xerox's coveted X-Award--illustrate how the system actually works. And the automated measurement system on the free CD-ROM helps you design your own system with confidence. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the best-selling Masterful Coaching comes this practical Fieldbook that strips away the jargon and dry theory and delivers powerful how-to guidelines for becoming a successful coach and mentor. Readers who already own Masterful Coaching will use this hands-on book to implement Hargrove's model, while those who have not used Hargrove's previous book will be drawn in by the immediate practicality of the Fieldbook. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Field Guide to Great Coaching


Bob has done a masterful job of pulling together a wide variety of coaching situations to illustrate the coaching models from his previous book. This is a book for the serious coach seeking how-to applications. The emphasis on creativity is a nice enhancement.

• Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS

Diverse coaching styles
When you are interviewed for a book like this (I am interviewed as a chapter in this book) you are always worried about the context and company of your interview. Robert Hargrove is great at synthesis and gathering diverse methods around a subject.

I am pleased to be in its company and that of the other masterful coaches he brings you.

He puts many practical ideas into one book. He does this from a diverse thinking approach. ... Read more

Book Description

Completely revised and updated!

Develop the skills that are key for becoming a successful team leader! Now in its second edition, How to Lead Work Teams shows you step by step, how to develop the powerful facilitaion skills that will help make you an outstanding leader, coach, motivator and facilitator. Includes great tools and techniques to help you put these skills into action today!

Using Rees's innovative L.E.A.D. model you can become a team leader who:

Book Description

A New Resource for a New Kind of Leadership Whether you focus on the departmental level or on the top executive suite, the ability to transform groups of managers into effective management teams is critical to ongoing success. How can those team members ensure they're performing to their full potential? "Read [this handbook] once for enlightenment, then use it again and again to build teams that are truly high-performance." -- Don Howard, vice president of human resources, National Data Corporation You'll get what you need to:

* Identify the barriers to management teamwork
* Assess management team performance
* Face special circumstances, such as new team member selection . . . and much more!
You'll use the flexible Team Model, the scores of action steps, and the wide variety of assessment tools to help your teams achieve maximum performance. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A keeper
I would use this book if I were forming a new management team.

It provides an efficient, structured process for talking about real business issues over a period of weeks rather than hours. It easily be integrated into regular staff meetings or retreats. An executive or consultant could modify as needed to suit the situation.

I attended a seminar led by the author when the book first came out, and she knows her stuff. ... Read more

Book Description

Effective team building through training games. Carolyn Nilson's Training Games for Trainers reveals the fastest and most effective techniques to meet the demand for team-building in any organization. Over 100 ready-to-use games, exercises, and activities help you to build, implement and maintain work teams. Each game is self-contained­­with templates, answer sheets and explanations of objectives and procedures. You'll find games for: group/individual empowerment; organizational change readiness; personal skill building; work definition; role fulfillment; task/process evaluation; conflict resolution; much more.

Book Description

The most meticulously scheduled and organized project can bedisrupted by one element: people! Most project management activities(whether constructing a new building or launching a new product) arerun by workplace teams -- and teams can get out of hand.This bookgives project managers the skills they need to create high-performingproject teams, including how to:

**understand the basics of human behavior and motivation
** turn a "group of people" into a functioning project "team"
**leadthe team effectively and help manage decision making
**develop theteam's level of sophistication and abilities -- and continually improveboth
**promote innovation and creativity (and keep meetings fun)
**deal with problem team members and resolve conflicts

The book shows how to get teams excited, committed, and performingat their best. That's a successful project! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

As other James P. Lewis books, very useful.
When I purchased this book, I half expected it to say how a Project Leader has to have personal skills and give some general suggestions about doing it. It surpassed my expectations, by being very practical.

I can see many of the suggestions he makes working on the company I work for. At the end of several chapters, Lewis provides some tasks you can get to work on to build your team, and keep it working.

Lewis writing style is great. He gives a lot of references, while keeping a good pace. He knows how to support his arguments on other authors without turning his book into an academic textbook.

I think a great companion book for this one would be "Getting It Done: How to lead when you are not in charge", since, IMHO, "Team-Based Project Management" is especially useful when you have the Project Manager title.

Good book
James Lewis presents team based project management in a clear and easy to understand method. The main points out highlighted making it easy to re-review those topics. I recommend this book for all Project Managers. ... Read more

Book Description

Although there are many books of methods and tools in different areas, few books actually give detailed tips and lessons on how to effectively set up and manage projects. Most books on project management devote all their space to specific methods. Breakthrough Technology Project Management, Second Edition provides tangible guidelines through examples and suggestions to help people participate in and manage projects more effectively. The authors' techniques and guidelines have been proven over the past 15 years in courses and counseling. This book is a valuable tool for those working in information systems, engineering, computer science, operations and production, and other environments involving project management.

Key Features
* The Purpose of this book is to answer:
* How can the overall technology project management process be improved?
* Which systems projects should be given resources and approved for action?
* How can all systems and technology projects be better managed together?
* How can individual projects be better managed and more successful?
* What are specific guidelines for managing different types of projects?
The Scope of the Book Answers
* What projects should be approved?
* How do you formulate and start projects effectively?
* How do you manage single and multiple projects?
* How do you identify, analyze, and address specific project issues?
* How do you obtain results through communicating effectively with management, team members, staff, and vendors? ... Read more

Reviews (24)

1 of the best for IT projects
If you go search on technology project management you find 140+ titles. Most of these do not address IT issues. This is one of the few that addresses IT projects specifically. It deals with all aspects of setting up, organizing, monitoring, tracking, and implementation. Specific problems and issues are addressed individually including how to avoid the problem, how to deal with the problem, and the impact. The authors have adopted an upbeat tone that stresses collaboration, the use of project templates, and lessons learned. These are key factors for success in IT projects from experience in over 40 major projects over a 15 year period. The book contains many useful guidelines for organizing the team, dealing with team member problems, management reporting, presentations of projects, how to establish the project plan quickly using templates, how to employ collaboration to define and update the work, how to do estimation and contingency planning, and how to address risk. There are chapters on dealing with specific issues. Rather than deal with fuzzy concepts, this book gets down to the nitty-gritty of doing a project. The book addresses how to allocation time between project and regular work--something that other books do not do. In addition, there is an emphasis on multiple rather single projects. In the world of IT there are very few instances where you deal with just one project. There are many interrelated projects. This is a well written, complete and innovative project management book. It is no wonder that it has been widely adopted.

very thorough and complete guide to IT projects
IT projects are very different from standard projects. This books provides an in-depth approach to managing IT projects. It has some very good specific tips regarding risk analysis, the management critical path (as opposed to the critical path), the use of score cards for project evaluation, how to deal with issues, and how to use lessons learned and experience to get continuous improvement in project management. In addition, the book focuses on templates rather than the traditional work breakdown structure-so it is gives greater flexibility. Another novel approach is use of the team members in participating in project management. Overall, very useful and informative.

Very good
This a very good book. It is written by two people that together have more than 40 years of experience in project management (PM) and provides with real and usefull examples.
I strongly recommend reading to people that already know PM. Its not a basic book in PM.

realistic and usable guide to IT projects
Our organization has reviewed over 50 books in IT and general project management from the view of usability and useful methods for a multiple project, complex environment. We found books like Schwabe and Menche somewhat useful, but very limited in dealing with the actual problems faced in projects. There was just too much introductory material. This book, on the other hand, is very useful in that it addresses problems such as scope creep, changing requirements, high management expectations, dealing with vendors and users, and other specific issues. It is also being translated into Chinese. This is the book you should get if you want to address problems in real projects and want specific guidelines.

Very good book
This is very good book on project management, i am a member of pmi, but in pmi u learn more about project management in general but this book is for IT guys, esply chapter on project management process is good, allso about tackling issues is well documented. ... Read more

Book Description

Mining Group Gold is a book on leadership. It explores the process of managing people and ideas to achieve a high level of results in a complex, turbulent global economy. This book is a practical, easy to use guide to building and maintaining collaboration within and across teams.

Includes:

• Five steps for planning and conducting a successful group session
• Suggestions for dealing with feelings and emotions, as well as conflict and confusion, during a session

Options for enhancing the productivity of the middle of a meeting

Reviews (5)

Mining Group Gold
I read Tom Kayser's book in the early 1990's when it was originally written for Xerox. The new edition is a fine adaptation. The book has been immensely helpful to me as a facilitator. It gives great instructions to a new and experienced group leader.

Mr. Kayser understands group dynamics. By reading and more importantly, following his "recipes", you will find that meetings are both more efficient and effective.

Treasure Trove of Productivity
One of the most valuable lessons I learned in my brief time as a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center was that meetings need not be unending wastes of times. When I first noticed this and asked how it was possible that so much always seemed to get done, no mater who was involved, I was given a copy of the Tom Kayser book "Mining Group Gold".

What a wonderful and unexpected surprise reading it was! Although concrete steps are given to guide people into getting the most out of working together and, more important, thinking together, its basic value comes from the way it enables folks to remain themselves - only do a better job of it.

Since leaving Xerox three years ago to be a consultant for Microsoft, General Electric and Sun Microsystems, I've given numerous copies to new cohorts so as to make life easier and the flow of work more efficient for all.

Tap the Mother Lode of Collaborative Cranial Creativity
Thomas A. Kayser has set forth a systematic means for gaining the maximum benefit from meetings.

Starting with John Kenneth Gailbraith's infamous attribilious amphigory: "Meetings are vital to those who want to make sure nothing happens" Kayser leads the reader through the labyrinth of traditional meeting quagmires and enables everyone to profit from combining their brain power optimally.

In practical, no-nonsense terms, nothing is left to chance. Those who practice the lessons will reap the immediate and continued rewards from the old axiom of time being money!

most important book about making teams effective available
I have used what I learned by reading Mining Group Gold in a wide variety of consulting and operational settings over the past three years: with multi-functional teams in a medium sized data communications high technology company and a start-up software development company, with the board of directors of a subsidized housing agency, with teachers and administrators at a primary school, with groups of principals responsible for implementing new curriculum in their schools, and with senior administrators at a leading geriatric care facility.

I speak from experience, then, in stating that Mining Group Gold is straight-forward, intuitively sound technology which can have profound effect on the style of facilitators in carrying out their difficult roles, and on ALL members of a team, a work group, (or even a board of directors!) to increase their sense of ownership, and their commitment to outcomes.

It's an easy read, and I recommend it as the best available resource in my experience for creating and continually improving meeting effectiveness.

Outstanding reference for making meetings more productive.
The entire book is an outstanding reference for improving meetings. Just the agenda portion has helped our company improve the quality of meetings 100%. From planning through execution, Mining Group Gold gives you all of the steps necessary to hold productive, meaningful meetings. A must read for any organization that is implementing Continuous Process Improvement! ... Read more

Book Description

Brevity and ease of reference make this handbook a useful introduction to risk in the project or program environment. The book provides a simplified understanding of the nature of project risk and opportunity, and a systematic approach to risk reduction. You’ll get useful insights into the process of project risk management whether you’re working on a small administrative project, a large capital works project, or anything in between. Concepts, tools, and techniques covered include: risk identification, risk assessment goals and methodology, computer applications, risk response and documentation, management of contingency allowances, managing risks of the project’s environment, and dealing with risks in contracts.

This book is essential reading to learn more about the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Project managers book to keep
This is a good book about project risk and how to manage it and transform it into opportiunities.

Good overview, but more recent publications available
The book provides a good, high level general overview. For more and better detail, I like Carl Pritchard's Risk Management Concepts and Guidance. Wideman's book is good, but it is from 1992 . . . Pritchard had the benefit of 9 more years of development of the topic.

Well written introduction to probability and risk management
My mentor and colleague is fond of chiding me to "roll the dice". However, he is well versed in probability and risk management, so what he is really attempting to get me to do is to take *calculated* risks. I hate math, but knew that I had to overcome that if I wanted to take the next step in my ongoing professional development. I selected this book because it was short, and well written and illustrated.

This book is a bit light for experienced project managers who are well-versed in risk management, but I found it to be a perfect introduction to probability and risk management. It's structured in a logical order, with each chapter building on the other. It starts out with a general approach and definitions associated with risk management. It then covers how to identify risks, assess them using quantitative methods (no blindly rolling the dice here). Assessment is important. Risks are a part of our everyday life, and this part of the book shows you how to prioritize risks based on not only the impact, but the probability. Impact x probability is the basis for indexing and prioritizing risks. You are also shown how to either eliminate, mitigate or transfer the risk that you identify and assess.

Because I am a consultant and live in the world of statements of work and contracts I thought the brief section on dealing with risks in contracts was a highlight. I also liked the chapter on managing contingency allowances.

This is a valuable book for new project managers who need to get quickly acquainted with risk management, and for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of probability and how to calculate and control risks. It is straightforward and gives you an awareness of what risks are and how to effectively manage them. My mentor would say, "a risk is an opportunity in disguise." I never appreciated or fully understood that until I read this book.

Excellent
Good introduction for risk management. Short but cover almost all aspect. Outstanding book for PMP exam preparation. ... Read more

Book Description

Never Underestimate the Power of an Effective Team As today's businesses increasingly structure work around teams, it's more important than ever for students to understand group processes. Through the research summaries and case studies of this text, students will learn valuable theory and develop a rich picture of teams in action. Blending theory and practice in areas such as team design, team social processes, and team effectiveness provides them with a realistic view of how teams function in actual work organizations. The combination of research and case examples also shows students how to help teams become more effective. Because key concepts are specifically presented in and applied to business settings, students can gain a real-world perspective of ways they can influence teams. They'll not only learn the complex issues associated with teams, but they'll not only learn the complex issues associated with teams, but they'll also develop tools to succeed as designers, leaders, and members. Special Features of the Text:
* Numerous examples are included to clearly illustrate important theoretical points.
* Theory and research is summarized in a non-technical style that is applied to situations familiar to students.
* Each unit includes a short scenario that provides students with the perspective of someone who is actually involved with teams in an organizational setting.
* Relationships between group theories and business goals (e.g., increasing profit, providing a motivating work environment) are discussed throughout. ... Read more

Book Description

Building on his first book, Games That Teach, Steve Sugar, along with George Takacs, tackles teams and team learning through the use of more than 20 competitive games and interactive learning exercises. Using the comprehensive facilitator notes, you'll be able to customize these innovative games to suit the training needs of the teams in your organization.

Games That Teach Teams:

• Gives your teams the opportunity to discuss serious team topics in a non-threatening setting
• Includes a matrix indicating which games are most appropriate for specific team isues
• Contains sample exercises using game "frames" that allow you to create your own games
• Is completely reproducible, saving you time and money!

"Games That Teach Teams is packed with activites that can help your team increase its ability to learn from its successes and failures and its ability to work together."
—Rick Mauer, consultant; author of Beyond the Walls of Resistance ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Two Thumbs up for this great teaching tool!
I manage an office of 70 lawyers that needed team building skills, but have a deep scepticism about the usual drills. I found this book to be clearly written, well organized and easy to adapt to my training needs. We used several of the games at a recent office retreat to great success. I strongly recommend Games That Teach Teams to anyone who wants to get their team to work, and play, better.

More than a team activity book...
if you are in the process for building a team and looking for activites to teach effective team behaviors, then this book is for you. This book can be used for a team just starting to work together or teams who have been working together for quite some time. There is much more to this book than the 21 teams provided.

The first section helps you determine what type of team you have by classifying teams. In the next section there is a model and structure for effective team development. Once you've determined the team classification and team development area, then you can use the handy matrix to select the most appropriate activity.

The book provides very helpful facilitation strategies for before, during and processing each activity. Each of the 21 activities has detailed well though out instructions and reproducible handouts. You have everything you need to facilitate any of the activities in this book.

Valuable Resource for Facilitators!
As an in-house OD consultant, I am always on the lookout for new games to use with teams and energizers for off-site meetings. The collection of games assembled here provides a wide variety of time frames and a comprehensive set of objectives for team learning. The formats of the various games are simple and yet engaging -- and you won't be hunting everywhere for props and materials. I can't wait to try these out at my next off-site meeting.

Genuine fun, genuine learning, any time, any place
Games that Teach Teams by Steve Sugar and George Takacs, is a collection of 21 well-documented, carefully detailed, copy-ready games that help teams learn about cooperation and creativity, management and goal-setting, decision-making and communication -- and secondarily fun. It's the secondarily fun part that caught my eye. Any method that helps people develop team skills that has anything to do with fun is a method worth learning. Far too many team-building activities are built around "tasks" and "worksheets." These exercises are built around fun.

Each of the 21 games is described as a "frame game" The authors explain how ach game can be modified to focus on a different combination of skills or respond to a different team setting and composition, giving the reader more of a comprehensive instructional strategy than a collection of games. The authors also recognize that it's not just the games, but how they are led that makes for a good learning experience, taking great pains to detail facilitation techniques for each activity. They even include a table that carefully documents the skills that each activity emphasizes.

I was especially pleased to discover the inclusion of games like "ww.where and ww.when" that are specifically designed for building "CyberTeams." Here is an area of team development that is much neglected and critical to the successful deployment of the kind of communication infrastructure that technography is designed to implement.

Great Context, Very Practical
I've read this cover-to-cover and had a chance to actually use a number of the activities in it with some of my clients. This book is a rare combination of background and context that will provide a powerful grounding for new trainers, inexperienced facilitators and managers asked to help build a team while also combining great explanation and setup for a wide range of activities that senior practitioners and OD professionals can use immediately. The explanations for each activity are clear and also cover what could go wrong as well as how to modify the activity and debrief instructions. I found the matrix in the book (talking about what activities could be used for what kinds of teams and what kinds of dynamics/needs) to be especially strong. If you do OD, facilitation,or work in teams, this is a very useful book. I don't find many games and activities books that are appropriate for a wide range of users--this one is. I very highly recommend it. ... Read more