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Superteams
In Superteams, renowned teamwork specialist Khoi Tu explains how to make sure your team delivers consistently superior results and emerges stronger from the inevitable crises you will face. What do the SAS, Ferrari and the Rolling Stones have in common? Their success is about much more than talented individuals. They are Superteams. Every organisation, whether a business or a sports club, lives or dies by the quality of its teamwork. No man can be an island for long; only great teams can face a crisis and emerge stronger. So how do you build the right team? Many people think of it like a rock supergroup: bring the best of the best together and magic will happen. Yet supergroups often flop, while bands of unknowns rise to the top. In this incisive and inspirational book, renowned teamwork specialist Khoi Tu explains how to make sure your team delivers consistently superior results, whatever your aim: averting business failure or resolving political conflict, dealing with a hostage situation or leading your team to sporting victory. Superteams takes seven legendary teams - including animation studio Pixar, Europe's 2010 Rider Cup winners, and the people behind the Northern Ireland peace process - and analyses their inner workings, evolution and defining moments. 'This book shows what people can do when the going gets tough and there's a goal to be achieved. Nice one Khoi' Jamie Oliver Khoi Tu is a sought-after leadership and teamwork consultant. He has advised some of the world's most influential individuals and companies, including banks, oil giants, celebrity chefs, Formula One champions and private equity entrepreneurs. A graduate of LSE and INSEAD, he took key roles at Shell and online marketing specialist Razorfish. He founded the Panthea consultancy in 2002 and now runs the boutique advisory company Inverstar. www.superteams.org
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 8, 2013
Quite a nice short book that gives some food for thought about what makes a great team.
January 23, 2021
Through the description of 7 unusual teams, some of them in exceptional situations, the author describes characteristics that, in his opinion, great teams share. He uses each different "team" to describe a set of characteristics, but not all of these teams share them. Pixar (a company sharing a common purpose), the European Ryder Cup team (12 golf players with great leadership), SAS (military people with rigorous team selection), British Red Cross (an organisation with high mobility), the Rolling Stones (creativity, consistency, cohesion and trust), Northern Ireland Peace Process (enemies working together, mastering conflict) and Ferrari (learning to adapt).
Great stories, good reading.
Great stories, good reading.
August 1, 2020
I enjoyed a number of the stories told.
I felt that there was a bit of a disconnect between the descriptive and prescriptive parts of the book.
There was also a distinct lack of growth mindset in the book. To paraphrase, "get excellent people to make an excellent team".
I felt that there was a bit of a disconnect between the descriptive and prescriptive parts of the book.
There was also a distinct lack of growth mindset in the book. To paraphrase, "get excellent people to make an excellent team".
July 5, 2017
Muy interesante lectura obligatoria para equipos
August 9, 2022
250 pages of survivorship bias
September 30, 2013
Super stories, super insights and super learnings from Khoi Tu. An easy read though quite thought provoking for anyone in a team, building a team, running a team or trying to fix a team.
Key takeaways for building superteams;
- a set of shared objectives (clear purpose) is the most potent force in attracting the right talent and in getting them to want to do great work, together.
- great teams are led by great adaptive leaders (there is no single style preference here) but moreover you have to lead by example and ultimately foster a team of leaders
- the best teams ensure they attract the best individuals for every role; people that know they aren't perfect, but pursue excellence and want to get better with other like minded people
- you have to get the small things/routines right to create the best environment for success (agenda, size, rules, roles, etc)
- individuals have to respect each others' skills/contributions and have to trust each other to thrive and stick together under pressure
- avoid comfortable harmony and groupthink; foster and harness conflict/abrasion to ensure sparks of creativity thrive
- you have to continuously improve; reflect, review, feedback and change ("this is how we do things here" - is a killer); always seek ideas for improvement from your team using both success and failure as lessons for learning.
Highly recommended.
Key takeaways for building superteams;
- a set of shared objectives (clear purpose) is the most potent force in attracting the right talent and in getting them to want to do great work, together.
- great teams are led by great adaptive leaders (there is no single style preference here) but moreover you have to lead by example and ultimately foster a team of leaders
- the best teams ensure they attract the best individuals for every role; people that know they aren't perfect, but pursue excellence and want to get better with other like minded people
- you have to get the small things/routines right to create the best environment for success (agenda, size, rules, roles, etc)
- individuals have to respect each others' skills/contributions and have to trust each other to thrive and stick together under pressure
- avoid comfortable harmony and groupthink; foster and harness conflict/abrasion to ensure sparks of creativity thrive
- you have to continuously improve; reflect, review, feedback and change ("this is how we do things here" - is a killer); always seek ideas for improvement from your team using both success and failure as lessons for learning.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2015
The book lays the framework for successful teams through 7 case studies of teams in quite diverse contexts. The issue with the variability of teams (business, politics, charity, sports) is that only few readers, who find interest in one group, will enjoy all case studies. Some chapters were so boring that I ended up resorting to my secondary reading.
Nevertheless, the writing style and the layout of each chapter were enjoyable and the content easily digested. It is another "why not" book for non-fiction, business readers."Why not read it?" or "Why not read something else?", your choice.
Nevertheless, the writing style and the layout of each chapter were enjoyable and the content easily digested. It is another "why not" book for non-fiction, business readers."Why not read it?" or "Why not read something else?", your choice.
April 6, 2018
Um livro que analisa sete times de sucesso.
Assemelha-se mais a um livro de administração com o estudo de casos (sete, no caso em tela).
Nada de fenomenal, sendo que, em princípio, bastaria ler o capítulo da conclusão que discorre a respeito de criar um objetivo claro, ter uma liderança, ..., enfrentar um grande desafio e superá-lo com o espírito de ... equipe (oh) ...
Acrescente-se ao final, sugestões de leitura.
Assemelha-se mais a um livro de administração com o estudo de casos (sete, no caso em tela).
Nada de fenomenal, sendo que, em princípio, bastaria ler o capítulo da conclusão que discorre a respeito de criar um objetivo claro, ter uma liderança, ..., enfrentar um grande desafio e superá-lo com o espírito de ... equipe (oh) ...
Acrescente-se ao final, sugestões de leitura.
January 2, 2013
I got this book in three chapters. But even in the three chapters there was a lot of repeating itself. The author tried to break up the teams by different categories, but all of these successful teams actually exhibited all of the categories. I was reading this book and discussing it with a colleague. . . it was just sad after our third meeting. It had promise, but . . .meh
October 2, 2014
From the Rolling Stones to the Red Cross; from the SAS to Steve Jobs's Pixar; and from Ferrari to the Ryder Cup, Khoi Tu draws analogies and artful prepcepts to demonstrate the clinical success of team work.
August 18, 2016
This book has some useful tips for building great teams. The main thing about it though is that's it's just very interesting. the stories are interesting and you learn a lot about random things you wouldn't think to learn about.
April 16, 2018
DNF
I wanted to care, I really did but honestly there are other books about management & teamwork that are less like yomping through margarine. Jurgen Appelo's Managing for Happiness immediately springs to mind. Feels intrinsically "blokey" too. Not for me
I wanted to care, I really did but honestly there are other books about management & teamwork that are less like yomping through margarine. Jurgen Appelo's Managing for Happiness immediately springs to mind. Feels intrinsically "blokey" too. Not for me
November 27, 2012
Inspiring. A feelgood read and makes you feel you can do it!
December 15, 2012
If you work on or with teams you must read this book. It will either reinforce what you already do and believe, or open your eyes to what is possible. This is a must-read book.
August 27, 2014
This book has some of the most useful practical applications of concepts I'd previously learnt about. Easy to read and clear. I have recommended it to many colleagues already.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews