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X-teams: How to Build Teams That Lead, Innovate and Succeed
Why do good teams fail? Very often, argue Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman, it is because they are looking inward instead of outward. Based on years of research examining teams across many industries, Ancona and Bresman show that traditional team models are falling short, and that what’s needed--and what works--is a new brand of team that emphasizes external outreach to stakeholders, extensive ties, expandable tiers, and flexible membership.
The authors highlight that X-teams not only are able to adapt in ways that traditional teams aren’t, but that they actually improve an organization’s ability to produce creative ideas and execute them—increasing the entrepreneurial and innovative capacity within the firm. What’s more, the new environment demands what the authors call “distributed leadership,” and the book highlights how X-teams powerfully embody this idea.
The authors highlight that X-teams not only are able to adapt in ways that traditional teams aren’t, but that they actually improve an organization’s ability to produce creative ideas and execute them—increasing the entrepreneurial and innovative capacity within the firm. What’s more, the new environment demands what the authors call “distributed leadership,” and the book highlights how X-teams powerfully embody this idea.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2007
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427 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 25, 2008
Ancona and Bresman assert that in recent years, the world has changed and the old model (i.e. those with an internal focus but lacking an external approach) “doesn’t work so well anymore.” The title of this book refers to teams that lead, innovate, and succeed in a rapidly changing environment. An X-team differs from a traditional team in three main ways. “First, to create effective goals, plans, and designs, members must go outside the team; they must have high levels of external activity…Second, X-teams combine all of that productive activity with extreme execution inside the team. X-teams develop internal processes that enable members to coordinate their work and execute effectively while simultaneously carrying out activity…Third, X-teams incorporate flexible phases, shifting their activities over the team’s lifetime.”
Although all of the exemplary organizations that Ancona and Bresman examine are large (e.g. BP, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, Motorola, Oxfam, Pharmaco, Southwest Airlines), I think that much of what Ancona and Bresman recommend – after appropriate modification, of course – can be of substantial benefit to much smaller organizations. As with much larger organizations, these smaller ones must remain committed to “extreme execution” within the given enterprise each day, even as these organizations proceed through Ancona and Bresman characterize as “flexible phases” (i.e. exploration, exploitation, and exportation) that may require them to change what they do and/or how they do it. Not all organizations need an X-team. However, decision-makers in all organizations (regardless of size or nature) need to understand the X-team mindset which recognizes and appreciates the importance of “reaching out to far-flung islands of expertise” and of creating new synergies between and among all areas of operation by connecting and aligning “multiple people inside and outside the organization.”
Although all of the exemplary organizations that Ancona and Bresman examine are large (e.g. BP, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, Motorola, Oxfam, Pharmaco, Southwest Airlines), I think that much of what Ancona and Bresman recommend – after appropriate modification, of course – can be of substantial benefit to much smaller organizations. As with much larger organizations, these smaller ones must remain committed to “extreme execution” within the given enterprise each day, even as these organizations proceed through Ancona and Bresman characterize as “flexible phases” (i.e. exploration, exploitation, and exportation) that may require them to change what they do and/or how they do it. Not all organizations need an X-team. However, decision-makers in all organizations (regardless of size or nature) need to understand the X-team mindset which recognizes and appreciates the importance of “reaching out to far-flung islands of expertise” and of creating new synergies between and among all areas of operation by connecting and aligning “multiple people inside and outside the organization.”
March 19, 2020
Another book read for my graduate program - but I might as well count/review it! The premise is that most teams within companies/organizations need to look outward (Xternally) rather than within to be successful. It's an interesting premise, but once again, one of those things that could take 2-3 chapters and not an entire book!
May 4, 2018
X-Teams is quoted in many books about tech leadership that I found great value in. However overall x-teams introduces little that is revolutionary but offers a structured vocabulary for discussing teams of highly motivated and well performing individuals that empathize across business lines.
May 21, 2018
Interesting read on what makes teams successful. I found it a little counter intuitive and therefore very useful
October 13, 2025
من همچنان با ایدهی تبدیل کردن مقالههای بلند به کتاب مشکل دارم. متن تا جایی باید پیش برود و توسعه پیدا کند که ایده یا قصه اجازه میدهد.
ولی ظاهراً اقتضای اقتصاد نشر کره گرفتن از ایدههایی که یکبار (و در بعضی موارد چندبار) در قالبهای دیگر مثلا مقاله یا بلاگ منتشر شدهاند و چون جذاب بودهاند و مورد توجه قرار گرفتهاند و اسمورسم نویسنده و ناشر برای فروششان کافی بوده، به کتاب تبدیل شدهاند.
این عارضه هم اگرچه اختصاصی به ژانر توسعهی فردی و مدیریت و کسبوکار ندارد، اینجا دامنهش گستردهتر است.
این کتاب هم بهزعم من محصول همچنین مسیریست.
ایدهی یکخطی کتاب این است:
کارآمدی، موثربودن و خلاقیت با تمرکز بر بهینهگی فرایندها و ساختارهای درونی تیمها دیگر محقق نمیشود و درست برعکس باید از خارج تیم شروع کرد. خارج از تیم یعنی: بازار، رقبا، مشاوران، مدیریت و رهبری شرکت و سایر تیمها.
و شعارش این است:
Out-before-in approach
توضیح و بسطش هم تا جایی که بهاندازه است، جور درمیاد و از قضا بهشدت واقعگرایانه و عملگرایانه است و برای مثال سیاست سازمان، لزوم همراه کردن دیگران و ساختن درک مشترک را بهرسمیت میشناسد.
اشکال عمدهش همانطور که گفتم آببندی بیجهت برای اضافه کردن صفحات بیشتر به کتاب است که هم مایهی تکرار شده و هم کلیگویی و «درستگویی».
با این حال خوشخوان و ساده و شفاف است و همین خواندنش را ملالآور نمیکند.
اگر مسئلهی مدیریت نوآوری و تغییر دارید، خواندن این کتاب سرنخها و حتی بیشتر از آن دستورالعملها و نسخهی قابل تأملی برایتان دارد.
ولی ظاهراً اقتضای اقتصاد نشر کره گرفتن از ایدههایی که یکبار (و در بعضی موارد چندبار) در قالبهای دیگر مثلا مقاله یا بلاگ منتشر شدهاند و چون جذاب بودهاند و مورد توجه قرار گرفتهاند و اسمورسم نویسنده و ناشر برای فروششان کافی بوده، به کتاب تبدیل شدهاند.
این عارضه هم اگرچه اختصاصی به ژانر توسعهی فردی و مدیریت و کسبوکار ندارد، اینجا دامنهش گستردهتر است.
این کتاب هم بهزعم من محصول همچنین مسیریست.
ایدهی یکخطی کتاب این است:
کارآمدی، موثربودن و خلاقیت با تمرکز بر بهینهگی فرایندها و ساختارهای درونی تیمها دیگر محقق نمیشود و درست برعکس باید از خارج تیم شروع کرد. خارج از تیم یعنی: بازار، رقبا، مشاوران، مدیریت و رهبری شرکت و سایر تیمها.
و شعارش این است:
Out-before-in approach
توضیح و بسطش هم تا جایی که بهاندازه است، جور درمیاد و از قضا بهشدت واقعگرایانه و عملگرایانه است و برای مثال سیاست سازمان، لزوم همراه کردن دیگران و ساختن درک مشترک را بهرسمیت میشناسد.
اشکال عمدهش همانطور که گفتم آببندی بیجهت برای اضافه کردن صفحات بیشتر به کتاب است که هم مایهی تکرار شده و هم کلیگویی و «درستگویی».
با این حال خوشخوان و ساده و شفاف است و همین خواندنش را ملالآور نمیکند.
اگر مسئلهی مدیریت نوآوری و تغییر دارید، خواندن این کتاب سرنخها و حتی بیشتر از آن دستورالعملها و نسخهی قابل تأملی برایتان دارد.
April 9, 2021
I think the concepts of this book provide a great framework for how teams should operate, specifically complex ones. The actual suggestions are something I'd like a visual for, a large dynamic visual. I think much of the book is fluff and repeats the same stuff in different ways just to fill space to make the book look bigger. Much of this could have been tied up neatly in a clear, step-by-step version with case studies in the back. I felt myself skipping paragraphs and pages as they didn't tell me anything applicable that hasn't been mentioned before.
For people looking for team improvements, read the spark notes as the information is genuinely helpful and useable, but the format of this book is not a fun read.
For people looking for team improvements, read the spark notes as the information is genuinely helpful and useable, but the format of this book is not a fun read.
February 15, 2023
Knowledge Level: Intermediate
Audience: Whoever wants to know about new ways .
Review: The author explains how to build teams with a different mindset in order to survive in the competitive world that we have now. Focus on both sides: internal and external things. She gives a framework (agile best practices at the end) and some examples.
Audio Candidate: Yes
Lessons Learned: Phases of XTeams: exploration: understanding the environment, exploitation: implementing what they learned to resolve a customer need, exportation: sharing and passing down the knowledge. XFactors that support these teams' structure include extensive ties, expandable tiers, and exchangeable membership.
Audience: Whoever wants to know about new ways .
Review: The author explains how to build teams with a different mindset in order to survive in the competitive world that we have now. Focus on both sides: internal and external things. She gives a framework (agile best practices at the end) and some examples.
Audio Candidate: Yes
Lessons Learned: Phases of XTeams: exploration: understanding the environment, exploitation: implementing what they learned to resolve a customer need, exportation: sharing and passing down the knowledge. XFactors that support these teams' structure include extensive ties, expandable tiers, and exchangeable membership.
Read
March 3, 2021If your team can not breath and stretch across the org and industry, it will be less successful
July 3, 2024
The book starts with a good idea, but it’s overextended to explain the idea. Quick summary is good enough.
February 28, 2017
This book is a good and contributive one. But it could provide more robust cases about team innovation. In other words it is a bit difficult to see the picture of team innovation. Other than this, good effort.
June 22, 2015
Excellent book and resource in the art of team-building and, more importantly, the role of the relationship in manifesting positive change in organizations. Ancona and Bresman, through their extensive research, have a pulse on what makes successful organizations work. They focus on the external bridges that are the engine for real change and sustainability. X-teams is a forward thinking concept and blueprint for effective team-building and systemic organizational change in both behaviour and outcomes.
May 24, 2012
A solid book to stimulate thinking about effective team-building and more importantly about enabling powerful team process. An excellent book for beginner managers coming to this task - perhaps less helpful to more experienced managers who have more of the team bibliography under their belt.
September 6, 2013
A great book outlining the core of competitive teams - being also eXternally focused. It brings many real-life cases and explains the mechanisms behind it. A great concept and a great book that can be used as a manual as well.
June 17, 2009
Excellent book on creating an effective team. Dr. Ancona talks about the 'External' aspects that makes teams effective.
October 20, 2008
Ugh--this book is way too corporate/profile focused for the nonprofit world.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews