Building Better Teams: 70 Tools and Techniques for Strengthening Performance Within and Across Teams -- Table of Contents -- List of Tools -- List of Figures and Tables -- Figures -- Tables -- Acknowledgments -- About the Authors -- About the Contributors -- Ken Cloke & Joan Goldsmith -- Samir Gupte -- Ken Ideus -- Jonas Janebrant & Johanna Steen -- Jim O'Neil -- Chuck Palus and David Magellan Horth -- Daniel Rainey -- Mary Stall -- John Sturrock -- Introduction: Why Is This Book Important? -- Who Will Benefit from This Book? -- How Can You Apply This Book? -- Section One: A Systematic Approach to Team Building -- Chapter 1: Getting Started -- Building Better Teams: An Evolution in Thinking -- The First Change: Rethinking the Idea of "Teams" -- The Second Change: From Fixing to Building -- The Third Change: From Conflict Management to Collaboration -- Some Underlying Assumptions Regarding Teams -- Individuals Can Affect Team Performance -- Team Members Require an Active Voice in the Process -- Up-Front Assessment Is Key to Success in Team Building -- True Change Comes Through Direct Application -- Additional Reading on Appreciative Inquiry -- Additional Reading on Positive Psychology -- Chapter 2: Planning the Team-Building Session -- The Building Better Teams Model -- Overview of Five Steps of the Team-Building Process -- Step 1: Introduce the Team-Building Concept -- Step 2: Plan the Facilitation Process -- Step 3: Assess Team-Building Needs -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 3: Implementation, Action Planning, and Follow-Up -- Steps Four and Five of the Team-Building Process -- Step 4: Implementing the Team-Building Session -- Step 5: Action Planning and Follow-Up -- Chapter 4: Selecting the Right Team-Building Tools -- Guidelines for Selecting Tools -- Guideline 1: Match Tools to Team-Building Scenarios.

Guideline 2: Select Tools by Stages in the Facilitation Process -- Guideline 3: Match Tools to Team-Building Requirements -- Guideline 4: Match Tools to the Demands of Your Session -- Section Two: Managing Team-Building Challenges -- Chapter 5: Clarifying Future Direction -- The Importance of Establishing Future Direction -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Failure to See the Big Picture -- Organizational Uncertainty -- Change Resistance -- Diffused Efforts -- Passivity -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- Stronger Engagement -- Increased Resilience -- Developing "Next-level Thinking" -- Stakeholder Alignment -- Timely Midcourse Corrections -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- Introducing the Team-Building Topic -- Team-Building Activities That Support Future Vision -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Scan the Horizon -- Identify Industry-Wide Trends and Changes -- Help Your Team Construct a Vision Summary -- Set Clear Priorities for Action -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 6: Fostering Team Innovation -- The Importance of Sustaining Team Innovation -- Insular Views -- Consequences That Discourage Risk Taking -- Censorship -- Lack of Challenge -- Isolation -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Lack of Confidence in Ability to Meet New Challenges -- Ignorance of Cutting-Edge Technology and Work Methods -- Mundane Solutions and Missed Opportunities -- Defections in the Ranks -- Case in Point: The Marketing Team -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Set the Stage for Creative Thinking -- Conduct a Structured Brainstorming Session -- Suspend Limitations -- Develop Graphic Solutions -- Make Use of Creative Software -- Import a Fresh Pair of Eyes -- Conduct Best Practice Reviews.

Extend Your Reach Through Social Networking -- Chapter 7: Establishing Mutual Trust and Collaboration -- The Importance of Building Trust and Collaboration -- On Conflict and Collaboration -- The Team Leader's Role in Supporting Collaboration -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Missed Opportunities -- Self-Imposed Isolation and Communication Breakdowns -- Formation of Cliques -- Limited Accessibility -- Lack of Alignment on Goals and Priorities -- Ambiguous Roles and Responsibilities -- Lack of Collaboration and Conflict Management Skills -- Different Communication Styles -- Use of Intimidation and Manipulation -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Gain Alignment on Goals and Expectations -- Discuss the Need for Support and Assistance -- Ask Participants to Reflect on Each Others' Strengths -- Recall Collaborative Successes -- Build Trust by Increasing Transparency -- Identify Communication Hot Spots -- Encourage Members to Understand Each Other's Perspectives -- Create Opportunities for Sharing Feedback -- Use Maps and Metaphors -- Establish Ground Rules for Managing Conflicts -- Act Immediately to Control Conflict -- Take Steps to Manage and Contain Conflicts -- Provide Coaching for Conflict-Prone Individuals -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 8: Managing Change -- The Importance of Becoming a Competent Change Manager -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Anxiety About the Unknown Future -- Lack of Foresight and Denial -- Information Vacuums -- Slow or Poorly Coordinated Responses to Change -- Defensive Attachment to the Past -- Ignorance of the Mechanics of Change -- Failure to Understand the Ripple Effects of Change -- No External Sensing Array -- Victim Mentality -- Resistance to New Information -- Static Planning.

The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Create an Early Warning System -- Expose Your Team to Other Points of View -- Implement a Thorough Troubleshooting Process -- Avoid Creating Unnecessary Stress -- Make the Unknown Manageable -- Learn from Others Who Have Been There -- Learn to Identify the Signs of Organizational Change -- Consider the Potential Long-Term Effects of Change -- Lower Resistance to Change -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 9: Building Commitment -- The Challenge of Building Commitment -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- A Focus on Activities, Not Results -- Moving Targets and Slipped Commitments -- Dissatisfied Customers -- Vague Accountabilities -- Safe Bets -- Nasty Surprises -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Help the Team Visualize Their Desired Future -- Create a Team Scorecard -- Draw Out Others' Concerns and Reservations -- Clearly Communicate Team Commitments -- Identify Commitment Gaps -- Identify Commitment Challenges in Advance -- Follow Up to Ensure Success -- Chapter 10: Managing Organizational Boundaries -- Changes That Can Lead to Boundary Tensions -- Managing Boundary Issues with Customers and Stakeholders -- How to Tell When Boundary Management Is a Challenge -- Restricted or Antagonistic Forms of Communication -- Interteam Conflict Escalation -- Conflicting Goals -- Ineffective Work Processes -- Blurred Boundaries -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- Leading off a Discussion on Boundary Management -- Leading off a Discussion on Meeting Customer Expectations -- Leading off a Team-Building Discussion on Securing Stakeholder Support.

How to Take Supportive Actions -- Educate Others About Your Team's Organization -- Improve Underlying Work Processes -- Focus on Superordinate Goals -- Separate Behavior from Intentions -- Stay out of the Line of Fire -- Tear Down the Walls -- Construct Service-Level Agreements -- Use Your Best Negotiators -- Conduct a Diplomatic Exchange -- Identify Your Key Stakeholders -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 11: Working Virtually -- The Challenge of Working Virtually -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Newly Formed Virtual Teams -- Lack of a Core Identity -- Unique Communication Challenges -- Second Class Citizenship -- Transparency of Team Activities -- Diverse Makeup of Teams -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic -- Initiating Team Building for a Newly Formed Virtual Team -- Initiating Team Building for an Established Virtual Team -- How to Take Supportive Actions -- Build a Team Identity -- Establish Criteria for Team Membership -- Clarify Team Goals, Outcomes, and Success Measures -- Share the Pain -- Clarify Expectations with Members' Managers -- Address Potential Communication Issues -- Establish Guidelines for Managing Communication -- Make Optimal Use of Communication Avenues -- Establish Ground Rules on Member Accountability -- Use Electronic Tools to Maximize Team Efficiency -- Develop Electronic Facilitation Skills -- Extend Your Reach Through Social Networking -- Make Use of Bonding Experiences -- Additional Reading -- Chapter 12: Overcoming Setbacks -- The Challenge of Team Setbacks -- How to Tell When This Is a Challenge -- Risk Avoidance -- Focusing on Blame Instead of Solutions -- Preoccupation on the Past -- A Short-Term Perspective -- The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge -- How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic.

Why It Is Important to Move Quickly.