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Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart
'An adventure into the very human science of making breakthroughs together.' - Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of The Power of Habit
The best groups are more than the sum of their parts - but why does teamwork so often fail to fulfill this promise?
Award-winning entrepreneur and journalist Shane Snow takes us on an extraordinary tour of the hidden science of team dynamics, revealing the counterintuitive reasons that some groups break out while far too many break down.
Examining history-making groups like the Wu Tang Clan and the Russian national hockey side alongside teams whose failures have had lasting impact, Snow reveals the answers, and what the rest of us can learn from the rare teams that do the impossible together. In this stimulating, pacey adventure through history, neuroscience, psychology, sports and business, Snow explores the secrets of the best teams the world has to offer.
You'll
- How ragtag teams - from soccer clubs to startups to gangs of pirates - beat the odds throughout history
- Why DaimlerChrysler flopped while the Wu-Tang Clan succeeded, and the surprising factor behind most failed mergers, marriages, and partnerships
- What the Wright Brothers' daily arguments can teach us about group problem solving
- The true stories of pioneering women in law enforcement, unlikely civil rights collaborators, and underdog armies that did the incredible together
- The team players behind great social movements in history, and the science of becoming open-minded.
Provocative and entertaining, Dream Teams is a landmark work that will change the way we think about progress and collaboration.
The best groups are more than the sum of their parts - but why does teamwork so often fail to fulfill this promise?
Award-winning entrepreneur and journalist Shane Snow takes us on an extraordinary tour of the hidden science of team dynamics, revealing the counterintuitive reasons that some groups break out while far too many break down.
Examining history-making groups like the Wu Tang Clan and the Russian national hockey side alongside teams whose failures have had lasting impact, Snow reveals the answers, and what the rest of us can learn from the rare teams that do the impossible together. In this stimulating, pacey adventure through history, neuroscience, psychology, sports and business, Snow explores the secrets of the best teams the world has to offer.
You'll
- How ragtag teams - from soccer clubs to startups to gangs of pirates - beat the odds throughout history
- Why DaimlerChrysler flopped while the Wu-Tang Clan succeeded, and the surprising factor behind most failed mergers, marriages, and partnerships
- What the Wright Brothers' daily arguments can teach us about group problem solving
- The true stories of pioneering women in law enforcement, unlikely civil rights collaborators, and underdog armies that did the incredible together
- The team players behind great social movements in history, and the science of becoming open-minded.
Provocative and entertaining, Dream Teams is a landmark work that will change the way we think about progress and collaboration.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2018
156 people are currently reading
1677 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 22, 2018
Dream Teams by Shane Snow covers the necessary framework for how and why teams work together by looking at various groups in history and extrapolating the lessons learned. This book is certainly not your dry MBA case study but it also meanders around and jumps around before coming to a point. Looking at the Soviet Union’s premier Olympic hockey team, Pinkerton Detectives, and the traits of individuals like Malcolm X, Andrew Jackson, and others to figure out what characteristics work well together and how teams can be made. One of the key lessons here is that when forming a team to solve a problem including someone from the front lines is critical even if they are not the most senior person on the team. Much of the book is also spent trying to explain how to keep the team “in the zone” and establish rules for working together and how to unify teams. The final chapters are on how someone can become a more open person through travel, education and reading books on new perspectives. Overall this is a solid read but not much earth shattering here and you really have to have some patience with all the jumping around that is done when the author is trying to tell the various stories to illustrate his point.
November 7, 2018
I would not recommend this book to anyone. There's no substance whatsoever and the series of vignettes don't seem to relate to the title/topic at all. I was excited to read this and picked it up in part because Adam Grant wrote the "afterword" but will now give his blurbs less consideration.
November 26, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I don’t typically seek out non-fiction but read this for a professional development book club I am in. I was so impressed, I actually want to seek out more from this author specifically. This book is not only chock full of insightful information, it’s also a work of art. From the chapter headings to the footnotes, not one single aspect of this book appears to have been done without careful thought. I highly recommend this for anyone who doesn’t usually connect with non-fiction, and definitely anyone who wants to know more about how to work better together. Can’t say enough positive things about it!
July 17, 2018
Lost in the stories
Not that I was lost in the stories, but I think the stories overshadowed the main messages for each pass. I skipped a lot of the stories because they were already told before, were already invalidated by other books, or just not engaging.
I spent most of my time flipping, skimming, and looking for something to catch my eye. Sadly, this time through it did not. It's a shame because the interviews I listened to were so much better than the book. If you ever have a chance to hunt down interviews, it will give you much more than what the book does in a shorter period.
This might he good for someone starting out with life and the world.
Not that I was lost in the stories, but I think the stories overshadowed the main messages for each pass. I skipped a lot of the stories because they were already told before, were already invalidated by other books, or just not engaging.
I spent most of my time flipping, skimming, and looking for something to catch my eye. Sadly, this time through it did not. It's a shame because the interviews I listened to were so much better than the book. If you ever have a chance to hunt down interviews, it will give you much more than what the book does in a shorter period.
This might he good for someone starting out with life and the world.
March 6, 2020
Part of my Leadership Book Club - more to come.
March 11, 2020
This was really interesting. I found it much more light-hearted than "doom and gloom Gladwell". Some cool takeaways/reminders about human nature and teamwork.
December 14, 2021
Brilliant, smart writing. This is a trip down history's memory lane, and a fascinating one at that.
Plenty of variety in practical examples, stories, studies conducted and really easy to read.
Plenty of variety in practical examples, stories, studies conducted and really easy to read.
September 1, 2024
If you are no newbie to reading nonfiction books, please do not waste your time. You already know everything this book will tell you. Slow, naive, if not sloppy.
November 10, 2018
This book is a serious work of sociology, but you wouldn’t know from reading it. Rather than being a scholarly (i.e., boring) presentation of research, conclusions and recommendations, it is an intriguing collection of interlaced short stories. Each is a case study that illustrates some point about what builds or destroys teams. They are also fascinating glimpses of history, the best in human nature, and principles of psychology in action.
As you read, you are exposed to a logically organized series of lessons. Frequent reference back to previous stories tie it all together, leading to a developing understanding of how to create and maintain effective teamwork. I have a Ph.D. in psychology, and many years of experience, and yet I learned lots from reading this book.
Starting with the Foreword by Aaron Walton, a self-described gay black boy made good, much of the content is inspiring. Perhaps the most captivating story is toward the end, when the author describes the worst period of his life, and what allowed him to move on.
I do have a criticism, and a suggestion for improvement.
The criticism regards the frequent footnotes. They either break the flow of reading, or are ignored. A good rule is, if it’s worth including, it’s worth working into the text. If it’s a distraction there, then chop it.
The suggestion for improvement is about making it easier to keep track of the lessons. The target audience of Dream Teams is high-level decision-makers. Such people are busy, and I suspect few have the time to read a 300 page book, however enjoyable. It is too much of a good thing.
There is a “cheat sheet” at the end, which is a bulleted-point listing of all the lessons and recommendations. This should be given more prominence, and occasionally mentioned within the text.
The way the book is written is actually an application of what it teaches. Stories engage the emotions, and lead to change. Information stays in the head. So, to get the real benefit, a person NEEDS to read the stories. All the same, someone who considers the book to be too long and declines reading it will certainly not benefit. A balance is needed here.
However, I recommend that anyone who interacts with other people (meaning everyone) should read Dream Teams. Even if CEOs miss out, those of us who can spare the time don’t need to.
As you read, you are exposed to a logically organized series of lessons. Frequent reference back to previous stories tie it all together, leading to a developing understanding of how to create and maintain effective teamwork. I have a Ph.D. in psychology, and many years of experience, and yet I learned lots from reading this book.
Starting with the Foreword by Aaron Walton, a self-described gay black boy made good, much of the content is inspiring. Perhaps the most captivating story is toward the end, when the author describes the worst period of his life, and what allowed him to move on.
I do have a criticism, and a suggestion for improvement.
The criticism regards the frequent footnotes. They either break the flow of reading, or are ignored. A good rule is, if it’s worth including, it’s worth working into the text. If it’s a distraction there, then chop it.
The suggestion for improvement is about making it easier to keep track of the lessons. The target audience of Dream Teams is high-level decision-makers. Such people are busy, and I suspect few have the time to read a 300 page book, however enjoyable. It is too much of a good thing.
There is a “cheat sheet” at the end, which is a bulleted-point listing of all the lessons and recommendations. This should be given more prominence, and occasionally mentioned within the text.
The way the book is written is actually an application of what it teaches. Stories engage the emotions, and lead to change. Information stays in the head. So, to get the real benefit, a person NEEDS to read the stories. All the same, someone who considers the book to be too long and declines reading it will certainly not benefit. A balance is needed here.
However, I recommend that anyone who interacts with other people (meaning everyone) should read Dream Teams. Even if CEOs miss out, those of us who can spare the time don’t need to.
November 22, 2021
Have you ever been in a team of highly skilled and talented individuals that can't work well together? Dream teams are not formed randomly. This book explains the elements of a Dream Team and how to build one.
Lack of diversity leads to stagnation, more diversity creates friction and healthy conflict that leads to better and innovative solutions. But there are limits. The team can fall apart if there is too much tension. Like a rubber band that has more potential energy the more you stretch it. But it will break if it is stretched too much. There are techniques to keep that tension at a level that can be of benefit for the team.
A common goal (or a common enemy) can help unite two people with opposing ideas, but how can they keep united after the common goal is reached? What does it take to challenge our current knowledge and consider an idea from a different perspective? To reconsider our opinions and reassess them? How can we be more tolerant and consider even bad ideas in order to find better solutions? The author answers these questions by telling some famous stories that shaped the world, then puts them into perspective so they are easily applied in business and our everyday lives, and finally provides some practical advice on how to deal with those situations. As long as there is empathy and respect from all team members, there will be plenty of opportunities to apply different techniques to collaborate better and become a Dream Team.
Lack of diversity leads to stagnation, more diversity creates friction and healthy conflict that leads to better and innovative solutions. But there are limits. The team can fall apart if there is too much tension. Like a rubber band that has more potential energy the more you stretch it. But it will break if it is stretched too much. There are techniques to keep that tension at a level that can be of benefit for the team.
A common goal (or a common enemy) can help unite two people with opposing ideas, but how can they keep united after the common goal is reached? What does it take to challenge our current knowledge and consider an idea from a different perspective? To reconsider our opinions and reassess them? How can we be more tolerant and consider even bad ideas in order to find better solutions? The author answers these questions by telling some famous stories that shaped the world, then puts them into perspective so they are easily applied in business and our everyday lives, and finally provides some practical advice on how to deal with those situations. As long as there is empathy and respect from all team members, there will be plenty of opportunities to apply different techniques to collaborate better and become a Dream Team.
June 10, 2018
Shane has the rare gift as an author of taking difficult abstract concepts and translating them into an accessible, enjoyable narrative. This book does an excellent job setting up a broad range of readers to read and put down the book with a better understanding and education of the behavioral science that explains what makes a great team function.
The book is filled with great examples and counterpoints to help the reader understand the nuance of how and why great teams come together or don't.
The highlight of the book for me though was a touching moment of vulnerability and openness from Shane himself about the need for building a dream team when your life isn't working. His guidance and openness on the topic is something any reader would benefit from.
The book is filled with great examples and counterpoints to help the reader understand the nuance of how and why great teams come together or don't.
The highlight of the book for me though was a touching moment of vulnerability and openness from Shane himself about the need for building a dream team when your life isn't working. His guidance and openness on the topic is something any reader would benefit from.
September 12, 2018
5 stars is not enough. This is a book, every time I finished a chapter, I longed to read further: the way of how it is written: full of stories, not a collection of dull written theories. The stories are brilliantly linked to the next one, blended with the theory in a very subtle way. If lifting teams to a higher level is your passion, and you wonder why you do not always succeed, this is a must-read. The fun thing is: while at first, the ideas of Shane Show put in this book seem surprising, after a second (third, fourth,.... ) thought, so obvious …
April 28, 2020
I wouldn’t pick reading this book if this is not on Blinkist. Just another typical Social psychology book but I don’t think any of the ideas in this book are novel. If you already read “Thinking Fast and Slow” You may take a pass on this one.
One Take away from the book: Next time your team is stuck in an argument where neither of the sides is willing to compromise, suggest switching sides. If you’re forced to argue for the idea you were arguing against, you’ll find this will not only ease the tension, but also make everyone see the benefits of both ideas more clearly.
One Take away from the book: Next time your team is stuck in an argument where neither of the sides is willing to compromise, suggest switching sides. If you’re forced to argue for the idea you were arguing against, you’ll find this will not only ease the tension, but also make everyone see the benefits of both ideas more clearly.
August 8, 2018
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. As an HR and Diversity and Inclusion professional, this is the sort of book I’m constantly looking for, and though I speak some of the language already, I think it could be accessible for anyone. Educational AND entertaining, inspiring and sobering, I can’t wait to see what else Shane Snow has to say on this and other topics. I would literally recommend this book to anyone.
Want to read
October 4, 2018Next time your team is stuck in an argument where neither of the sides is willing to compromise, suggest switching sides. If you’re forced to argue for the idea you were arguing against, you’ll find this will not only ease the tension, but also make everyone see the benefits of both ideas more clearly. The right solution won’t be far away.
August 19, 2020
TL;DR: An intriguing and hopeful book about how to build up a creative and powerful team. It contains lessons that will help readers in business and in life. “Dream Teams” is a page turner that will be enjoyable for most readers.
I picked up this book after reading the author’s “master post” on logical fallacies in debate. This same post unravelled the Stanford Prison Experiment for me as well. In my reading chronology if follows:
“Coddling of the American Mind” by John Haidt
“So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed” by Jon Ronson
“Unfollow” by Megan Phelps-Roper
Each of these books share a common theme. At their core, they’re about empathy and intellectual humility. Another way of putting it, to quote Ronson, is to “prefer humanity over ideology.” That is exactly what “Dream Teams” is about. The author shares whimsical, and serious, anecdotes to convey his message about the power of intellectual humility and cognitive diversity — and how they push us into the “Zone of Possibility.”
While I loved reading the book and it seems well researched I have two criticisms:
1) No in-line citations or bibliography. Snow often mentions researchers by name but doesn’t cite any actual papers or journal articles. I suspect this is because he gained this information through conversations with scientists, but the citations should be used nonetheless.
2) It’s based on psychology research. Which isn’t inherently bad, but due to (1) I have a hard time assessing the quality of the research. Psychology and sociology are experiencing a “reproducibility crisis” and should be accepted with caution.
I hesitated giving this book 3 or 4 stars. I decided on four stars because, in spite of my research gripes, it’s a well written book that is worth reading (and I don’t want to discourage others from reading either).
I picked up this book after reading the author’s “master post” on logical fallacies in debate. This same post unravelled the Stanford Prison Experiment for me as well. In my reading chronology if follows:
“Coddling of the American Mind” by John Haidt
“So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed” by Jon Ronson
“Unfollow” by Megan Phelps-Roper
Each of these books share a common theme. At their core, they’re about empathy and intellectual humility. Another way of putting it, to quote Ronson, is to “prefer humanity over ideology.” That is exactly what “Dream Teams” is about. The author shares whimsical, and serious, anecdotes to convey his message about the power of intellectual humility and cognitive diversity — and how they push us into the “Zone of Possibility.”
While I loved reading the book and it seems well researched I have two criticisms:
1) No in-line citations or bibliography. Snow often mentions researchers by name but doesn’t cite any actual papers or journal articles. I suspect this is because he gained this information through conversations with scientists, but the citations should be used nonetheless.
2) It’s based on psychology research. Which isn’t inherently bad, but due to (1) I have a hard time assessing the quality of the research. Psychology and sociology are experiencing a “reproducibility crisis” and should be accepted with caution.
I hesitated giving this book 3 or 4 stars. I decided on four stars because, in spite of my research gripes, it’s a well written book that is worth reading (and I don’t want to discourage others from reading either).
February 18, 2019
In order to accomplish big things, people often need to come together and work in groups. However, the differences of opinion among the various individuals that comprise those teams can cause friction and lead to abysmal results.
That is the premise of Shane's book Dream Teams. There is a chapter in the book about how humans respond viscerally to narratives and stories, but are usually not moved by hard data and abstract reasoning. Alas, I think he takes this too much to heart, for a reader will often find himself lost in stories interspersed throughout the book. The book meanders and meanders, starting narration of new anecdotes before the previous one has been given the chance to finish.
To be sure, there are a few worthy insights present in the book on cognitive biases and errors in reasoning that humans are susceptible to, which make them bad at collaboration and stifle intellectual growth, but they aren't explored enough or with any rigor, and their impact is substantially diluted by the verbiage (the stories!).
If you are interested in a rigorous and fascinating treatment of the human mind (you should be!), I'd much rather recommend Daniel Dennett's "From Bacteria To Bach And Back" and Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow." A more general but rigorous understanding of the human brain should aid you a lot in understanding what hinders teams. And, anyway I'm sure there must be literature and accessible books written for the popular audience out there on team collaboration that isn't lightweight on science and full of politics, juvenile illustrations and anecdotes.
I have a hunch that only a millennial could want to write such a dumbed down and vapid book, and only millennials could be happy after reading it.
A side note: I remember how devastating it was to many in journalism, especially young journalists David Carr had mentored when he suddenly passed away. And, it was saddening to me because I loved to read his insightful columns in the Times. So, I was pleasantly surprised that Carr helped out Shane too.
That is the premise of Shane's book Dream Teams. There is a chapter in the book about how humans respond viscerally to narratives and stories, but are usually not moved by hard data and abstract reasoning. Alas, I think he takes this too much to heart, for a reader will often find himself lost in stories interspersed throughout the book. The book meanders and meanders, starting narration of new anecdotes before the previous one has been given the chance to finish.
To be sure, there are a few worthy insights present in the book on cognitive biases and errors in reasoning that humans are susceptible to, which make them bad at collaboration and stifle intellectual growth, but they aren't explored enough or with any rigor, and their impact is substantially diluted by the verbiage (the stories!).
If you are interested in a rigorous and fascinating treatment of the human mind (you should be!), I'd much rather recommend Daniel Dennett's "From Bacteria To Bach And Back" and Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow." A more general but rigorous understanding of the human brain should aid you a lot in understanding what hinders teams. And, anyway I'm sure there must be literature and accessible books written for the popular audience out there on team collaboration that isn't lightweight on science and full of politics, juvenile illustrations and anecdotes.
I have a hunch that only a millennial could want to write such a dumbed down and vapid book, and only millennials could be happy after reading it.
A side note: I remember how devastating it was to many in journalism, especially young journalists David Carr had mentored when he suddenly passed away. And, it was saddening to me because I loved to read his insightful columns in the Times. So, I was pleasantly surprised that Carr helped out Shane too.
April 1, 2019
This is excellent. Highly engaging, entertaining, and readable, and full of well-explained big ideas.
The key to great teams, Snow shares, is cognitive diversity. The important ingredient, the thing that gets teams into The Zone, is not peace and harmony and sameness--it's engaging the tension between their perspectives, heuristics, ideas, and differences. He uses the analogy of a rubber band. Unstretched, it lacks potential energy. Stretched too far, it breaks. It has the most ability to achieve when stretched just the right amount for maximum sustainable tension.
Of course, that's a hard balance to achieve. It starts by forming teams of individuals who bring differences to the table. Homogeneity--even of values--won't produce enough tension. And there needs to be provocation and dissent. To keep things from breaking, there also needs to be openness and honesty, mutual respect and goals, intellectual humility and empathy. And play. Playing, it turns out, makes us less afraid of cognitive friction. The members of great teams push each other in just the right ways.
That all sounds well and good in a quick summary; it's much more convincing with Snow's examples and explanations. Each chapter weaves together multiple threads showing his insightful ideas in action. I highly recommend this for, well, everyone.
The key to great teams, Snow shares, is cognitive diversity. The important ingredient, the thing that gets teams into The Zone, is not peace and harmony and sameness--it's engaging the tension between their perspectives, heuristics, ideas, and differences. He uses the analogy of a rubber band. Unstretched, it lacks potential energy. Stretched too far, it breaks. It has the most ability to achieve when stretched just the right amount for maximum sustainable tension.
Of course, that's a hard balance to achieve. It starts by forming teams of individuals who bring differences to the table. Homogeneity--even of values--won't produce enough tension. And there needs to be provocation and dissent. To keep things from breaking, there also needs to be openness and honesty, mutual respect and goals, intellectual humility and empathy. And play. Playing, it turns out, makes us less afraid of cognitive friction. The members of great teams push each other in just the right ways.
That all sounds well and good in a quick summary; it's much more convincing with Snow's examples and explanations. Each chapter weaves together multiple threads showing his insightful ideas in action. I highly recommend this for, well, everyone.
October 29, 2019
О ЧЕМ КНИГА:
Попытка объяснить успех выдающихся команд в различных сферах деятельности, от музыки до бизнеса. Слишком много длинных историй и мало конкретных предложений, о том, что делать. Автор больше нас развлекает, чем учит.
КАКАЯ БЫЛА ЦЕЛЬ ЧТЕНИЯ:
Получить новые навыки для создания успешной команды в моем новом бизнесе.
ГЛАВНЫЕ ВЫВОДЫ:
- Для успеха компании важно не только разнообразие команды, но и привычка открыто высказывать свое мнение и дискутировать. Тишина в компании ведет к инерции.
- Руководитель, который игнорирует своих подчиненных, равен руководителю, который использует только их слабые стороны.
- “You can learn more about someone in an hour of play than in a year of talk.”
- Главное не путать группу людей, которые просто собрались в одном месте и проводят много времени друг с другом, с командой!
- У команды в отличии от обычной группы есть 5 характеристик:
1. Они работают над задачей решить которую невозможно без взаимодействия.
2. У участников есть четкая цель.
3. Есть структура и распределены роли.
4. Есть поддерживающий контекст: награда, информируемость и обучение в процессе движения к цели.
5. Есть лидер, который консультирует, мотивирует и контролирует
ЧТО Я БУДУ ПРИМЕНЯТЬ В ЖИЗНИ И БИЗНЕСЕ:
- Ну буду использовать мозговые штурмы для поиска идей, так как научно доказано, что они не работают)
Попытка объяснить успех выдающихся команд в различных сферах деятельности, от музыки до бизнеса. Слишком много длинных историй и мало конкретных предложений, о том, что делать. Автор больше нас развлекает, чем учит.
КАКАЯ БЫЛА ЦЕЛЬ ЧТЕНИЯ:
Получить новые навыки для создания успешной команды в моем новом бизнесе.
ГЛАВНЫЕ ВЫВОДЫ:
- Для успеха компании важно не только разнообразие команды, но и привычка открыто высказывать свое мнение и дискутировать. Тишина в компании ведет к инерции.
- Руководитель, который игнорирует своих подчиненных, равен руководителю, который использует только их слабые стороны.
- “You can learn more about someone in an hour of play than in a year of talk.”
- Главное не путать группу людей, которые просто собрались в одном месте и проводят много времени друг с другом, с командой!
- У команды в отличии от обычной группы есть 5 характеристик:
1. Они работают над задачей решить которую невозможно без взаимодействия.
2. У участников есть четкая цель.
3. Есть структура и распределены роли.
4. Есть поддерживающий контекст: награда, информируемость и обучение в процессе движения к цели.
5. Есть лидер, который консультирует, мотивирует и контролирует
ЧТО Я БУДУ ПРИМЕНЯТЬ В ЖИЗНИ И БИЗНЕСЕ:
- Ну буду использовать мозговые штурмы для поиска идей, так как научно доказано, что они не работают)
September 14, 2020
Shane Snow’s Dream Teams is an excellent tool for managers, leaders, and team members to help maximize collaboration and minimize conflict. By using historical and personal anecdotes, Snow illustrates several values that make up the ideal dream team. These stories, along with exhaustive research and interesting statistics, create a solid framework for optimal team creation and operation. Read for yourself to see how pirates helped save an early America, hip-hop was born and prospered, and Star Trek opened up opportunities for Asian Americans in Hollywood. All of these examples and more lead to teams that perform in The Zone.
Personally, I enjoyed the various stories, told with engaging humor, and how they each related well to the point the author was presenting. They both educated and challenged the reader, inviting you to interact with the subject of the book more than most dry leadership tomes. The author’s points were concise, cohesive, and dotted with humor—one of the values of a dream team. This is a great book for anyone interested in teamwork, no matter how big or small and the points apply to a wide range of teams and workplaces.
Personally, I enjoyed the various stories, told with engaging humor, and how they each related well to the point the author was presenting. They both educated and challenged the reader, inviting you to interact with the subject of the book more than most dry leadership tomes. The author’s points were concise, cohesive, and dotted with humor—one of the values of a dream team. This is a great book for anyone interested in teamwork, no matter how big or small and the points apply to a wide range of teams and workplaces.
June 8, 2022
I truly enjoy Shane Snow's writing. The book Smartcuts is on my annual re-read list and I have genuinely had great fun implementing some of the ideas that he provides in that book. This book is a little bit more management theory and falls a little more on the Gladwell, Sinek, Grant biz-dev side of books. I did enjoy some of the stories used to illustrate Snow's points, which is good because they are new, and less used case studies. I think that is what really resonated with me. Expect these case studies to be mentioned in more and more self-dev books in the near future.
While I liked this book, it definitely spoke to a team-building exercise that I don't expect to be doing anytime soon. this means that I will probably need to come back to it if I ever get to a point where that becomes a priority for me. Still, good book. 4 out of 5 stars.
p .s. the final chapter was a a reminder that success does not always equal happiness and there can be many other things happening to people when you think they are living their best life.
While I liked this book, it definitely spoke to a team-building exercise that I don't expect to be doing anytime soon. this means that I will probably need to come back to it if I ever get to a point where that becomes a priority for me. Still, good book. 4 out of 5 stars.
p .s. the final chapter was a a reminder that success does not always equal happiness and there can be many other things happening to people when you think they are living their best life.
January 20, 2026
This book presents a collection of tantalizing and courageous stories that inspire readers to embrace difference and tolerate ambiguity. It convincingly argues that no team is born to success; rather, success is built. The author reminds us not to take anyone for granted, warning that high IQ or technical skill alone may bring only ephemeral glory. This resonated deeply with the old adage: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'
The core of the book explores the essential wisdom needed to overcome stumbling blocks on the path to success, emphasizing critical qualities like empathy, mindfulness, and gratitude to unlock the 'giants' within any team.
While I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone seeking to discover the wisdom of team synergy and turning the impossible into reality, I do hope for a future edition that might use soccer as an illustrative case study. Nonetheless, this is a compelling read.
The core of the book explores the essential wisdom needed to overcome stumbling blocks on the path to success, emphasizing critical qualities like empathy, mindfulness, and gratitude to unlock the 'giants' within any team.
While I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone seeking to discover the wisdom of team synergy and turning the impossible into reality, I do hope for a future edition that might use soccer as an illustrative case study. Nonetheless, this is a compelling read.
December 28, 2019
Dream Teams is an enjoyable read on the dynamics of what make a productive, functional team. The book shines in its anecdotes - examples were diverse and engaging ranging from the formation of the Wu Tang Clan to Argentinian immigration to Malcolm X’s journey. However, the lessons espoused by the stories weren’t groundbreaking. Nonetheless they do lay out a compelling argument for basic roles and values a team should have.
My primary takeaways are as follows - 1) a team needs a diversity of perspectives and heuristics, 2) intellectual humility is a necessary quality to allow the best solution to arise despite differences, 3) personal stories that evoke empathy and oxytocin can help mitigate resistance associated with differences, 4) play helps build relationships, and 5) be wary of team inertia when merging groups.
My primary takeaways are as follows - 1) a team needs a diversity of perspectives and heuristics, 2) intellectual humility is a necessary quality to allow the best solution to arise despite differences, 3) personal stories that evoke empathy and oxytocin can help mitigate resistance associated with differences, 4) play helps build relationships, and 5) be wary of team inertia when merging groups.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2020
Dream Teams is a title that hits the book’s topic, effective teamwork, right on the nose. However, Snow collects the most up-to-date, groundbreaking research and case studies to demonstrate how current methods of collaboration are not working out quite as expected. In the past, partnerships, mergers, and other team efforts were largely embraced to make up for weak points in one or each of the parties’ respective structures. While this would seem like a reasonable move, the intermingling of company cultures or individual identities in the collaborative process creates layers of extra concerns. In his workshop and book, Snow reveals the precise way in which such parties must integrate if they want to gain maximum value.CONTACT INFOShaneSnow.com
December 27, 2020
I do really like the concepts of the books and how it's explained.
The concepts were explained in very simple way, so it's easy to grasp.
It's basically talk about "components" required to build a good "team".
Maybe you can guess what's the "components" are, but maybe you want to enhance your memory about that concepts stronger by reading stories inside this book and maybe make a new "link" to another knowledge inside your head (like I do).
I don't only recommended this book to leader of some groups, but the group members also. Because, only by understand each other, we could respect each other, and by only respecting each other, the good team could be born.
The concepts were explained in very simple way, so it's easy to grasp.
It's basically talk about "components" required to build a good "team".
Maybe you can guess what's the "components" are, but maybe you want to enhance your memory about that concepts stronger by reading stories inside this book and maybe make a new "link" to another knowledge inside your head (like I do).
I don't only recommended this book to leader of some groups, but the group members also. Because, only by understand each other, we could respect each other, and by only respecting each other, the good team could be born.
July 4, 2022
Nothing overwhelmingly new in this book almost everything in it feels like common sense (which is probably deceptive). It is nice to read a recognition that a little friction in a team actually provides a lot more productivity. A cautionary tale of how to make this work without becoming a disaster is built into the telling of this book.
Overall well written, in a very typical 2020 style of case studies and graphs to back up the points.
Some refreshing new case studies are thrown in alongside some tired old ones, but again a nice quick read to scan and take onboard. Not one that will stay on my reference shelf though.
Overall well written, in a very typical 2020 style of case studies and graphs to back up the points.
Some refreshing new case studies are thrown in alongside some tired old ones, but again a nice quick read to scan and take onboard. Not one that will stay on my reference shelf though.
December 18, 2023
This book bought together many useful concepts in an easy-to-read book with many useful examples. However, I think the points could have been made with about half as many words. The asides in the footnotes got to be excessive by the end.
Overall, the book was able to convey a significant body of scientific literature to a general audience, and I came away with actionable steps I can take to build better teams. I often finish this sort of book feeling like the concepts were so abstract that I can't actually apply what I read about, so I really appreciate the concrete, achievable suggestions the book made.
Overall, the book was able to convey a significant body of scientific literature to a general audience, and I came away with actionable steps I can take to build better teams. I often finish this sort of book feeling like the concepts were so abstract that I can't actually apply what I read about, so I really appreciate the concrete, achievable suggestions the book made.
June 28, 2024
My word of the year this year is swing. I thought this might be a good book to add to my knowledge on how to develop good swing....however, it didn't quite work for me. I lost interest in many of the stories. They were long and it seemed like it took too long to get to the point. After about 150 pages, I considered abandoning it, but instead, I skipped a bunch of stories and tried to look for some nuggets. I was also irritated by the multitude of footnotes. Just put it in the paragraph if it really matters! I was touched by the author's vulnerable story at the end. He looks way to young in his picture to have gone through financial disaster, homelessness and divorce already!
September 2, 2019
My supervisor let me borrow this book before he'd even read it and now every time I see him I insist he needs to read it too. It's incredibly insightful, changed how I handled working with a co-worker, and I've actually got a new copy on my desk because I like to go back and reference certain things.
One thing I would say is that this book has a heavy focus on hockey in the beginning that I had a hard time getting through, regardless of the way it cleared a path for explaining the point the author was trying to make. Push through the hockey bits and you'll learn a lot from this one!
One thing I would say is that this book has a heavy focus on hockey in the beginning that I had a hard time getting through, regardless of the way it cleared a path for explaining the point the author was trying to make. Push through the hockey bits and you'll learn a lot from this one!
June 30, 2021
While this book is a pretty entertaining read for a non-fiction and a "business book", the over-reliance on stories is really distracting. Jumping from story to story in the same chapter, sometimes with very thin connections, makes it hard to learn of the "point" those stories are trying to make. It reads like the author had some hypothesis on what makes great teams click and what are the failure modes, and then cherry picked the stories to support those arguments.
All in all, decent lessons about team-work here and lot of fun stories but a lot of busywork. Should have been a blog :)
All in all, decent lessons about team-work here and lot of fun stories but a lot of busywork. Should have been a blog :)
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