Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Teams That Work: The Seven Drivers of Team Effectiveness

Rate this book
Why do some teams thrive, while others struggle?

In the modern workplace, employees collaborate. Managers are expected to be effective team leaders and employees are expected to be valued teammates. But many teams struggle. Being part of a struggling team can be unpleasant, but it can also hurt your career and waste company resources.

In Teams That Work , Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas present the seven drivers of team effectiveness and the clearest recommendations on what really makes teams great. Applying the lessons they've learned from working with high-stakes, high-risk team situations to any kind of organization, they will dispel some of the most enduring myths (e.g., can you be both a star and a great team player?), feature the most useful psychological research, and share real-world illustrations of effective teams in action. Readers will find actionable, evidence-based tips for being an effective team leader, a great team member, a supportive senior leader, or an impactful consultant.

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2020

110 people are currently reading
322 people want to read

About the author

Scott Tannenbaum

7 books1 follower

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
58 (34%)
4 stars
72 (42%)
3 stars
34 (20%)
2 stars
2 (1%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Beth Melillo.
225 reviews21 followers
March 23, 2025
Academic yes, practical also yes. But if you are looking for an engaging and motivational read, this isnt it. Its funny at times, includes down to earth examples, but it isnt quite pitched at a mass market business audience and there were times I thought the authors might have wanted that and missed the mark.I loved it though.

//Edit for 2025. For the amount of times I've recommended this book, I'd have to say it's a 5 star book.
Profile Image for Matej yangwao.
169 reviews11 followers
May 14, 2022
Generally great overview for construction of team efficacy but nothing thrill or hacky.

Learned definitely few bits, maybe style of writing would impressed me differently as found it more likely styled for corporate rather than "modern" team work, albeit hard truths are there

More likely feels summary of other books I read on coaching teams.


>We would not consider a team highly effective if it frivolously expended resources, spending all its “chips” to hit a short-term goal because, in so doing, it degrades its future capabilities and performance.

>When a team produces positive results when conditions are favorable but crumbles when things get tough or takes an extremely long time to rebound from negative events, we will not consider it effective.

>Similarly, we do not deem it effective if it burns out its members and therefore lacks the vitality needed to adapt, persevere, and innovate.

>Short-term results are an imperfect indicator of team effectiveness.

>Have you ever wondered what drives team effectiveness? These drivers — capability, cooperation, coordination, and communication — consistently make the difference.

>A highly effective team is one that demonstrates sustained performance, team resilience, and ongoing vitality.

>The second driver, cooperation, centers on the attitudes and beliefs that individuals bring to the team each day. Coordination, the third driver, is at the heart of teamwork; it refers to the teamwork behaviors that a team needs to demonstrate to be highly effective. The fourth driver is communication, the information exchange within a team and with individuals and groups outside the team.

>The last factor is coaching. Without question, leadership matters. A good leader can help a team be more successful, and anyone who has ever worked for a poor leader can attest to bad leadership. An effective team utilizes all these drivers.

>Task-related capabilities that individuals must possess to be able to perform their work assignments
• Teamwork-related capabilities that people need to work and collaborate effectively with one another

>Teams with “too much talent” may have more unhealthy disputes and, in some cases, may go so far as to undermine one another overtly.

>In team environments, teamwork capabilities supplement task work capabilities.

>teams with higher collective orientation and preference for teamwork demonstrate higher levels of performance.

>The first of the cooperative attitudes is trust.

> Psychology safety
>It’s a belief that if people speak up, admit weakness, or any behaviors previously noted, they won’t be judged harshly

>Collective efficacy is the third key cooperative belief. While self-confidence conveys a general idea of ​​one’s capabilities, self-efficacy is more specific. It is the belief that you can execute effectively in a particular situation to get the desired results.

> Collective efficacy, like self-efficacy, is a shared belief among team members that the team can perform particular assignments well or be effective in specific situations or contexts.

>Finally, we have cohesion, which can be thought of as the glue that induces a team to remain united. There are two components of cohesion:
• Social cohesion.
• Task cohesion.

> Social cohesion refers to a shared interpersonal attachment among team members. Task cohesion is the belief that the work of the team is performing is important, so team members feel committed to the task.


>Team coordination is important when team members must rely on one another to accomplish the team’s goals.

>Monitoring (maintaining situational awareness): A team is better able to perform effectively when its team members are alert and aware, watch out for one another, and have an accurate sense of what might affect the team.

>An unstated inference is that if their team members would communicate more with one another, their teamwork and performance would magically improve.

>Quality communication means sharing useful information accurately and on time with the right people.

>Closed-loop communication involves three quick steps:
• The call out or initial communication
• The check back where the recipient conveys their understanding of what they heard
• The close in which the message sender either confirms or corrects what was conveyed

>Research shows that closed-loop communication is associated with higher team effectiveness.

>It also found that the task-focused leadership behaviors (providing structure) and person-focused behaviors (empowering team members) contributed to team effectiveness.

> Task-focused behaviors include:
• Ensuring clarity and alignment. Teams are better able to coordinate and adapt when team members possess clear, shared, and accurate cognitions.
• Holding teammates accountable.
• If no actions are taken to hold team members accountable for doing what they need to do, coordination and performance will suffer.
• Removing obstacles and garnering support. All teams face obstacles and challenges. Leaders should help identify and remove obstacles.

> Team-focused behaviors include:
• Managing team emotions and attitudes. Research reveals that it is difficult, if not impossible, to sustain team effectiveness without the “right” cooperative attitudes. Who is monitoring the team’s pulse and helping manage emotions and attitudes?
• Fostering psychological safety. Take actions that help ensure team members feel comfortable speaking up and being themselves. Without psychological safety, communication and performance suffer.
• Encouraging participation and empowerment. No one can see and do everything on a team.


>Ideas and contributions emerge throughout an effective team, and team members feel empowered to step up and help one another.

>Promoting learning and adaptation. The best teams become great by continually learning and adjusting. So, helping individual team members learn and develop is the only way to sustain team effectiveness.

>The word ‘team’ has been made into an acronym that means Together Everyone Achieves More, and the roles of teams cannot be over-emphasized.

>For example, the rate at which time-sensitive information is passed, individualism, and a lack of unity are common issues you may face if you work in a team.

>If a team achieves its short-term goals but can’t complete any long-term goals, it is not an effective team.

>Effective teams are usually more coordinated than less effective teams. Effective teams plan longer and have a system that works.
• While effective team communication is a process of information sharing that runs smoothly, an ineffective team doesn’t disseminate information properly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Zoë Routh.
Author 12 books72 followers
July 19, 2021
Pretty solid book: substantial research, practical tips, useful self assessments and guides. If you’re looking for a comprehensive handbook on leading teams, this is a great start.
Profile Image for Arunthep Sangvareethip.
3 reviews
October 4, 2020
Very much outdated

Academic and Not practical. I think we have enough mediocre team. This will not build you a great team but an average team.
Profile Image for Jung.
1,909 reviews44 followers
April 17, 2024
"Teams That Work: The Seven Drivers of Team Effectiveness" by Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas is a comprehensive guide to understanding and improving teamwork. It emphasizes that effective teamwork is not just about believing in platitudes but rather about implementing specific drivers that are backed by science. From developing team-related capabilities to fostering cooperative beliefs and coordinating behaviors, the book covers various aspects of teamwork. It also underscores the importance of leadership in ensuring that these drivers are effectively implemented within a team.The key message provided in this book are:

• Team Capabilities: The book emphasizes that effective teamwork requires more than just having the right attitudes or personalities. Teams must possess the necessary skills and competencies to perform their tasks effectively. This includes technical expertise as well as team-related skills such as communication, feedback, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills.

• Cooperative Beliefs: The authors highlight the importance of shared beliefs within a team, including psychological safety, trust, and collective efficacy. Psychological safety, in particular, is crucial for fostering an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions, admitting mistakes, and seeking help without fear of judgment or reprisal.

• Coordinating Behaviors: Effective teams exhibit certain coordinating behaviors such as situational awareness, providing support, and adapting to changing circumstances. These behaviors facilitate smooth coordination and collaboration among team members, leading to improved performance and outcomes.

• Quality Communication: The book underscores the significance of quality communication in team effectiveness. It emphasizes the importance of clear, accurate, and timely communication, as well as techniques like closed-loop communication to ensure understanding and alignment among team members.

• Shared Cognitions: Shared cognitions refer to a common understanding among team members about goals, roles, priorities, and contingencies. Teams with shared cognitions are better equipped to perform routine tasks efficiently and adapt effectively to unexpected disruptions.

• Organizational and Team-Specific Conditions: The authors stress the impact of organizational and team-specific conditions on team performance. Favorable conditions, such as supportive organizational policies and adequate resources, promote learning, creativity, and innovation within teams. Conversely, unfavorable conditions can hinder even the best teams from achieving their full potential.

• Leadership: Leadership plays a crucial role in ensuring that the drivers of effective teamwork are in place. Effective leaders promote learning and adaptation, foster psychological safety, hold team members accountable, manage team emotions, ensure clarity and alignment, remove obstacles, garner support, and encourage participation and empowerment.

The actionable advice provided in the book, such as implementing team debriefs, offers practical strategies for enhancing teamwork and maximizing team performance. By addressing these seven drivers, teams can overcome challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and achieve greater success together. Overall, the book seems like a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance teamwork and maximize team performance.
Profile Image for Karen Hewitt.
318 reviews2 followers
July 17, 2023

"Teams That Work" by Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas offers a comprehensive exploration of effective teamwork and provides readers with valuable insights for building and managing successful teams. Drawing from extensive research and practical experience, the authors offer strategies, tools, and actionable advice for creating a collaborative and high-performing team environment.

One of the notable strengths of this book is its focus on evidence-based practices and research-backed recommendations. Tannenbaum and Salas delve into the key elements that contribute to effective team performance, including clear communication, shared goals, role clarity, trust, and effective leadership. The book provides practical tools and frameworks that readers can apply to enhance team dynamics and productivity.

Moreover, "Teams That Work" offers a balanced approach by considering both the individual and team perspectives. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding team members' strengths, leveraging diversity, and fostering a culture of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable taking risks and sharing ideas. This holistic approach contributes to the development of a cohesive and high-performing team.

Additionally, the book includes real-world examples and case studies that bring the concepts to life. The authors illustrate how various organizations have successfully implemented the recommended strategies, making it easier for readers to grasp the practical applications of the principles discussed.

However, some readers may find that certain topics or concepts in the book could benefit from more in-depth exploration. While the book provides a solid foundation, further elaboration on specific challenges that teams may encounter, along with corresponding strategies for overcoming them, would enhance its practicality.

Furthermore, the writing style can be somewhat academic and technical at times, which may be less engaging for readers seeking a more accessible and engaging read. However, the authors' expertise and authoritative tone lend credibility to the content.

In conclusion, "Teams That Work" is a valuable resource for individuals and leaders interested in fostering effective teamwork and creating high-performing teams. Tannenbaum and Salas' evidence-based approach, practical tools, and emphasis on both individual and team dynamics provide readers with actionable insights for improving team performance. While some topics could be further explored and the writing style may be more suitable for those comfortable with academic literature, the overall value of the book lies in its research-backed recommendations and practical applications. Recommended for individuals seeking to enhance team dynamics and unlock the full potential of their teams.
Profile Image for Synthia Salomon.
1,211 reviews20 followers
December 22, 2022
Effective teams coordinate through core teamwork behaviors.

Teamwork is a skill to be learned, like any other. A team can boost its performance by ensuring the seven drivers of effective teamwork are in place: capabilities; cooperative beliefs; coordinating behaviors; quality communication; shared cognitions; organizational and team-specific conditions; and leadership. So put aside those teamwork myths and the dubious advice of leadership gurus, and, from now on, let science guide your team’s performance.

Actionable advice:

Implement team debriefs.

Teams that debrief perform on average 20 percent better than teams that don’t. Team debriefs are an opportunity to reflect on what’s going well, and what to improve for next time. They’re an easy way to work on several of the drivers of team effectiveness we’ve explored throughout these blinks. Try conducting debriefs throughout a project cycle, not just at the end, and be sure to set specific time aside for them. If you’re the leader, let your team members talk first, and demonstrate good teamwork by sharing one improvement you’ll make yourself next time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christopher Litsinger.
747 reviews13 followers
October 13, 2022
There's nothing in this book that I disagreed with, but there also wasn't much for me to learn. I typically love books like this that summarize research. I normally do learn new things, and I think learning about primary research studies and the way they're conducted is fascinating.
The problem with this book was that most of the studies discussed were meta studies: a look at the body of research around a topic to see what universal truths come clearly across. This means that the insights are hard to argue with, but also pretty well known -- I wasn't surprised to learn that psychological safety is linked to high performing teams, for example.
If I was designing a leadership curriculum this book would have been helpful and I suppose I might occasionally use it as a sort of bibliography, but I wasn't super impressed overall.
Profile Image for T Lane.
19 reviews
October 9, 2024
I have the opinion - after half a century of living, several professional seminars and workshops, as well as at least three college courses in the past four years (and have one more regarding a similar topic before I can be done) - that nearly every one of these books are interchangeable with any other.

Go to your favorite bookseller site; filter for 4-stars or higher; sort first by highest customer reviews, then sort by bestselling, and then sort by price (lowest to highest); note four or five titles that appear on the first page or so of each of the sorts; do a little investigative shopping; and then go to your locally-owned bookstore to order what you decide is your final choice for your needs (personal, team, institutional, etc leadership).
Profile Image for Sarah.
151 reviews1 follower
May 25, 2023
This short book packed a punch. It is full of so many practical insights and easy-to-remember tips. One of my many takeaways that can be applied to any relationship whether work, school, home, church, etc. is that "thinking 'thank you' is not the same as saying 'thank you.'" We all know that appreciation, communication and teamwork go a long way, but this book tells you how to actually pull it off.
Profile Image for Dimitri.
214 reviews2 followers
August 18, 2024
📕 Why (Not) to read this book (Target Audience)

Interesting book with 7 characteristics.

👀 How this book changed my daily live (Takeaways)

• Capability
• Corporation
• Coordination - monitoring / backup
• Communication - lower volume / higher quality - closed loop
• Cognition - shared, understanding who & how
• Coaching
• Conditions

⁉ Spoiler Alerts (Highlights)

A Team has interdependence between members
Profile Image for Alexis.
133 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2022
comprehensive read

Has everything a leader or team member would need to know to make teaming effective. This will be my go to resource as a leader and must read for any of our developing leaders. Very thorough
Profile Image for Lea.
285 reviews83 followers
March 17, 2024
A game changing book taking concepts that may have been heard hear and there in the work setting and putting it all together into a framework that is digestible and practical. For anyone working with and for teams, highly recommend.
Profile Image for Sergey Machulskis.
105 reviews9 followers
June 10, 2025
Good summary of research on the topic. Learned some new concepts like "team transactional memory". Learned that quality communication is much more important than a lot of communication. Learned that going to a bar together and doing similar "team building" activities don't reflect team performance at all.

-1 for US-centric examples and strange text structure.
Profile Image for J.
18 reviews
May 6, 2023
Great and essential read for business leaders. The book presents the research in an easily understood way and is littered with examples to support and illustrate the points.
Profile Image for Nora.
43 reviews
August 21, 2023
A comprehensive book on team leadership and team effectiveness.
Profile Image for Kayla.
910 reviews35 followers
August 30, 2023
I read this book for one of my leadership classes and was thoroughly impressed with the recommendations. A great read for current leaders and individuals that want to be leaders.
Profile Image for Julio Escoboza.
180 reviews10 followers
January 4, 2024
Useful to understand how teamwork influence work culture, interactions, decisions and ways to get to the main goal.
Profile Image for Javier Miranda .
18 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2025
Good overview with examples supporting conclusions and actionable proposals and checklists for application of the theory by different roles.
Profile Image for Sahds.
26 reviews
December 26, 2024
quite educational one of my textbooks this semester lol
14 reviews
January 12, 2024
Ši knyga, parašyta Lael Good, Eda Roth ir Lynne Devnew, nagrinėja septynis veiksnius, kurie lemia komandų veiksmingumą. Ji teikia įrankius ir strategijas, kaip stiprinti komandas, didinti bendradarbiavimą ir pasiekti geresnius rezultatus organizacijoje.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.