Coauthored by the legendary, bestselling author Ken Blanchard, Go Team! (over 22,000 copies sold) explains how too many people operate in teams that perform well below their potential. Go Team outlines a 3-step process that can benefit work teams, project teams, problem solving teams, leadership teams, and more.
Ken Blanchard, one of the most influential leadership experts in the world, is the coauthor of the iconic bestseller, The One Minute Manager, and 60 other books whose combined sales total more than 21 million copies. His groundbreaking works have been translated into more than 27 languages and in 2005 he was inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 bestselling authors of all time.
Ken is also the cofounder and chief spiritual officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies®, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California.
When he’s not writing or speaking, Ken also spends time teaching students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego. Ken can be found at www.kenblanchard.com.
Go Team! is something of a departure for Blanchard, in that it's not written in his usual parable style (like The One Minute Manager, Whale Done!, etc.). But that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it still presents some valuable principles, just in a more straightforward fashion.[return][return]Here, Blanchard and his coauthors make the case for managers delegating greater responsibility to their subordinates, thereby freeing up more of their own time for higher-level functions. They emphasize that it's still necessary to define clear goals and boundaries for team members, but these can and should be broadened. They also discuss the importance of creating an environment of trust so that information will be shared freely in all directions.[return][return]For an excellent in-depth case study of many of these principles, consider reading this together with Ed Catmull's book on what he's learned from running Pixar, Creativity, Inc. (particularly the sections on Brain Trust meetings and the final chapter on Notes Day). And for more exploration of delegation, including some specific tactics, check out Tim Ferriss's The 4-Hour Work Week.[return][return]http://www.amazon.com/review/R5BRVQVB...
This book is very short, yes! Nonetheless, it is a fantastic quick guide to sound operational improvements through team deployment. In full disclosure, I had previously read a book by Ken Blanchard. I hated every minute of Gung Ho! I found that book tediously slow and shallow. It left me with the impression that the author intended to address an audience of five-year-olds. Thankfully, Go Team! is not delivered through the same type of slow narrative. It is thus much more effective. And, as a bonus, the information is actually quite valuable. The system described, although not original to Mr. Blanchard, transcends alternative academic efforts. My experience with the system has been one where normal people deliver exponential, rather than linear, growth. The book is highly recommended for all advanced managers and business neophytes.
This books does not offer much valuable information or insight to a person who already works with team. It can be useful for those that do not understand or do not have experience with teams.