Team Players and Teamwork

Praise for Team Players and Teamwork

"In the new edition of Team Players and Teamwork Glenn Parker updates his landmark compendium on the essential effect of cross-functional teamwork to encompass the added complexities of globalization facing team leaders and team members in the twenty-first century. Anyone participating on or managing members of a cross-functional team will benefit from reading this essential guide to successful teamwork."
-Jeffrey W. Warmke, vice president, global project management and leadership, Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development

"Glenn Parker has the unique combination of sound thinking and clear writing. In his recent version of Team Players and Teamwork he succeeds in taking this combination of skills to a higher level."
-Sivasilam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan, president, Workshops by Thiagi, Inc.

"Glenn's book is a must-read for team leaders and team members who are looking for a comprehensive set of tools and ideas to help teams perform more effectively. Glenn offers practical wisdom-based on years of first-hand experience-that is unparalleled in the field of team dynamics."
-Robert Hoffman, executive director, organization development and talent management, oncology business unit, Norvartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Preface ix

The Author xix

1. Team Players and Teamwork: The New Reality 1

It’s the Twenty-First Century: Team Players and Teamwork are Here to Stay 4

2. What Makes a Team Effective or Ineffective 13

Teamwork: Lessons from the Past 14

A New Model of Team Effectiveness 19

The Ineffective Team 63

Trouble Ahead: The Warning Signs 64

Building Your Team 67

3. Effective Team Players 69

The Concept of Personal Style 70

Team Player Styles 71

Contributor 73

Collaborator 79

Communicator 85

Challenger 92

Team Player Actions 98

4. Ineffective Team Players 101

The Cost of Ineffective Team Players 103

The Ineffective Contributor 104

The Ineffective Collaborator 105

The Ineffective Communicator 107

The Ineffective Challenger 109

Dealing with the Ineffective Team Player When It is You 110

Dealing with the Ineffective Team Player When It is Someone Else 111

5. Team Players as Team Leaders 115

The Contributor as Leader 117

The Contributor Leader: The Downside 119

The Collaborator as Leader 119

The Collaborator Leader: The Downside 121

The Communicator as Leader 122

The Communicator Leader: The Downside 123

The Challenger as Leader 124

The Challenger Leader: The Downside 125

Personal-Development Planning for Team Leaders 126

Successful Team-Building Strategies for Team Leaders 127

6. Adaptive Team Players 133

Forming 135

Storming 137

Norming 140

Performing 143

How Team Players Adapt to Team Development 146

7. Analyzing Your Team ’ s Strengths and Weaknesses 149

Stages and Styles: The Right Mix at the Right Time 150

The Goal: Style Diversity 151

Style Overload 152

Missing Perspectives 155

How to Analyze Your Team 157

8. Developing a Team Player Culture 161

Current Methods 161

Recommended Strategies 163

R_x for the Development of a Team Player Culture 181

9. Challenges for Teams and Team Players 183

The Executive Challenge 183

The Management Challenge 185

The Human Resources Challenge 186

The Learning and Development Challenge 186

The Personal Challenge 188

Resources: Tools for Developing Teams and Team Players 189

A. Parker Team-Development Survey 191

B. Parker Team-Development Survey: Summary and Action Planning Guide 195

C. Parker Team Player Survey 197

D. Team Player Styles 205

E. Parker Team Player Survey: Normative Data Report 207

References 215

Index 221

"This new edition…incorporates 16 more years of research and major changes in technology and team styles…" (Publicnet.co.uk, Tuesday 4th March 2008)

The Author

Glenn M. Parker is president of Glenn Parker Associates, LLC. He works with organizations to create and sustain high-performing teams, effective team players, and team-based systems. He is the author of more than fifteen books, including the best-selling Cross-Functional Teams and the first edition of Team Players and Teamwork, both from Jossey-Bass.

TEAM PLAYERS AND TEAMWORK

SINCE THE FIRST EDITION OF Team Players and Teamwork was published in 1990, there have been significant and often dramatic changes in the business environment in which teams now operate. Teams are now cross-functional, cross-cultural, and even virtual. As a result, team trust is more vital than ever, and communications technology is critical. With team players often serving on multiple teams, leadership has become more important and more challenging.

In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of his groundbreaking book, Glenn Parker analyzes these trends and shows how his concept of effective teamwork is even more relevant today. The fundamental question remains: What makes a good team player? Parker clearly demonstrates all the ways team players can adapt to today's challenges.

Team Players and Teamwork provides specific, practical tools that will help both leaders and members identify their team player style—Contributor, Collaborator, Communicator, or Challenger. Parker explains how each style contributes to five key leadership functions—planning, communication, risk taking, problem solving, and decision making.

With guidelines for personal development and team-building strategies, Team Players and Teamwork shows how effective teamwork ultimately leads to increased productivity, reduced costs, improved quality, innovation, better customer service, and more rapid commercialization of products.