Tools for Team Leadership - by Gregory E Huszczo (Paperback)

About the Book

Tools for Team Leadership introduces the critical X-factor in team success leadership and delivers an advanced set of tools and strategies to help anyone master the role of team leader. Grounded in the author's practical frontline experience with hundreds of teams and backed by solid research and instruments, including the powerful Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment, the book identifies the chief responsibilities of a team leader and delivers a power-packed toolbox for analyzing a team's strengths and weaknesses, creatively brainstorming strategies and tactics, generating options and facilitating consensus, and implementing action plans that help teams help themselves. It covers team building for both new and established teams, with special help for team building at the top, and includes a self-study review at the end of each chapter to help turn key learning concepts into a plan of action."

Book Synopsis

Solve the puzzle of why some teams succeed while others fail. Collective action-not individual heroism-is what makes teams effective and creates sustainable change in organizations. In this follow-up to his best-seller Tools for Team Excellence, Gregory Huszczo unlocks the secret of what separates great teams built on collaboration and partnership from the secondary teams. Tools for Team Leadership introduces the critical "X-factor" in team success-leadership-and delivers an advanced set of tools and strategies to help anyone master the role of team leader. Grounded in the author's practical front-line experience with hundreds of teams, and backed by research like the powerful Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R) assessment, the book explores the essence of leadership in a team environment. It identifies the chief responsibilities of every team leader and delivers a power-packed toolbox for analyzing a team's strengths and weaknesses. Tools for Team Leadership covers team building for both new and existing teams, with special help for team building at the top, and includes a self-study assessment at the end of each chapter to help turn concepts into a plan of action. This guide puts the power of participative team leadership into the hands of every manager, trainer, consultant, and member struggling to help teams succeed. Contents List of Exercises Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1 The Need for Team Leadership at All Levels 2 Your Natural Leadership Strengths 3 Effective Team Building 4 Knowing Why the Team Exists 5 Communicate, Communicate, Communicate 6 Problem Solving and Decision Making 7 Resolving Conflict 8 Motivating and Coaching Teams to Success 9 Leaders as Ambassadors of Team-Based Change Efforts 10 Monitoring and Reviving Teams 11 Helping a Whole Team of Leaders 12 Summary: The Learning Leader Makes a Difference Appendix A: The Exotic Orchid Role Play Exercise Appendix B: Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique Bibliography Index About the Author Gregory E. Huszczo, Ph.D. is an award-winning teacher and researcher, a licensed psychologist, a consultant and trainer, and author of the classic work in the field of team development, Tools for Team Excellence. With more than 30 years of experience working in the areas of teams, personalities, and leadership, his clients include: Ford Motor Company, Digital Equipment Corporation, La-Z-Boy, Unisys, AFSCME, Navistar, and the Red Cross. Huszczo is currently professor of organizational behavior and development at Eastern Michigan University.

Review Quotes

Provides tools such as focus group questionnaires, checklists of responsibilities, exercises for teams, chapter reviews, pithy "commandments" to improve teams.--HR Magazine

A great fit with Toyota Way principles of developing internal leaders, teaching employees to become problem solvers, and continuous improvement. This book will join Huszczo's Tools for Team Excellence in my practical tool kit.--Scott Fenton, Senior Specialist, HR & OD, Toyota Technical Center USA, Inc.

Clear and understandable with many logical explanations and examples. Speaks from experience; draws on his knowledge to make a point.--Quality Progress

Cross-functional teams' diverse aspects make team leadership a challenge - one that Huszczo tackles with clarity and simplicity.--Biz Books by Jim Pawlak

His book is just fine. There is plenty of material here for consideration and action.--Training Magazine

Makes a valuable contribution toward team performance that can be easily applied by individual managers or across entire organizations.--Human Resource Planning

Offers a practical, hands-on tools approach for leaders to make their work teams successful - in an office, in a hospital, or on the plant floor.--Lee O. Sanborn, Organization Development Leader, Ford Motor Company-Manufacturing

Offers team leaders many creative strategies to help them improve their ability.--Soundview Executive Book Summaries

The tools scattered throughout immediately transform concepts into clear action, giving confidence to those striving to make a difference at work. This book will be a godsend to those dedicated, caring people wanting workplaces that perform exceptionally as they give workers every opportunity to express and contribute their talents and skills.

The tools Huszczo describes can lead to better job design and content, new learning, and new skill development. His book is a vision of a more democratic workplace that is both enabling and innovative.--Michael Schippani, International Representative, United Auto Workers

Uses actual experiences that can be directly related to the needs of industry going to lean and team environments. A great resource.--Patrick McDonnell, Production Manager, La-Z-Boy Canada Ltd.

About the Author

Gregory E. Huszczo, PhD has more than 30 years of experience as a professor, consultant and trainer with clients that include Ford Motor Company, Digital Equipment Corporation, La-Z-Boy, Unisys, AFSCME, Navistar and the US National Coalition for Community and Justice. He is also the author of Tools for Team Excellence.