Rating: 
Summary: Not just for improving Teamwork
Review: An excellent book. The text in all its controversy (when compared to what you typically learn about teamwork) is very refreshing. It obviously provides very useful tools for improving team performance. It does, however, have much more value than just teamwork performance improvement. Most of it (if not all) can easily be applied in building powerful relationships between teams and groups as well as between companies.
Rating:
Summary: I use it in my MB A class
Review: Exceptional book! This book will give you real life examples as well as opportunities to practice theories as an individual or with you team. Too many books and theories focus on the team as a whole. Mr. Avery makes people realize that it is an individual's choice that makes a team successful. Depending on your level of commitment and taking responsibility, everyone can be on a productive and inspiring team. I would highly recommend the book as well as Partnerwerks seminar, "Being Powerful in Any Team".
Rating:
Summary: Teamwork is an Individual Skill
Review: Exceptional book! This book will give you real life examples as well as opportunities to practice theories as an individual or with you team. Too many books and theories focus on the team as a whole. Mr. Avery makes people realize that it is an individual's choice that makes a team successful. Depending on your level of commitment and taking responsibility, everyone can be on a productive and inspiring team. I would highly recommend the book as well as Partnerwerks seminar, "Being Powerful in Any Team".
Rating:
Summary: Take Responsibility for Team Success
Review: For years, I have resisted the popular notion of "there is no 'I' in "teamwork" because teams are a collection of individuals working toward a common goal. Each of us brings our own values and skill sets to the table. It is our choice to work together (or not) as a team.
Christopher M. Avery has captured this idea and more in his latest book, Teamwork is an Individual Skill: Getting Work Done When Sharing Responsibility. Chris suggests that individuals take responsibility for team success versus blame others He challenges the reader to be proactive and work through team issues rather than avoid or accommodate others.
This is a perfect book for team members who have been on teams before. It will validate good team behaviors and point out areas to upgrade...in a gentle and non-threatening way. The book is easy to read with lots of stories and examples to highlight the key points.
Rating:
Summary: The first sentence floored me
Review: For years, I have resisted the popular notion of "there is no `I' in "teamwork" because teams are a collection of individuals working toward a common goal. Each of us brings our own values and skill sets to the table. It is our choice to work together (or not) as a team.
Christopher M. Avery has captured this idea and more in his latest book, Teamwork is an Individual Skill: Getting Work Done When Sharing Responsibility. Chris suggests that individuals take responsibility for team success versus blame others He challenges the reader to be proactive and work through team issues rather than avoid or accommodate others.
This is a perfect book for team members who have been on teams before. It will validate good team behaviors and point out areas to upgrade...in a gentle and non-threatening way. The book is easy to read with lots of stories and examples to highlight the key points.
Rating:
Summary: No More Excuses for Poor Teamwork
Review: I enjoyed reading and digesting the practical, easy to understand advice given by the authors of this book. Members of any team can gain valuable information and insight on how to function more effectively on their teams. However, the sage advice given in this book will not set well with those reluctant to take responsibility for their own actions. The focus is on personal responsibility and developing what the authors' term "TeamWisdom." By following their advice, those with TeamWisdom can create highly responsible and productive relationships at work. The book can equip you with individual skills and behaviors to make a difference in the success of your team, provided of course that you are ready to accept responsibility and take action. Each topic in the five chapters is organized in a format that highlights and explains the skill or behavior necessary to gain TeamWisdom. This is followed by both a Personal Challenge to help you put it into practice and a Team Challenge to help you implement it with team members. Each topic ends with a real life example of how each skill or behavior has been put to practice. As someone you works to develop collaborative partnerships, I found the advice in this book realistic, clearly presented and concise. I highly recommend it as a sound, practical guide for anyone who shares responsibility with others to get work accomplished but doesn't have authority over them.
Rating:
Summary: No More Excuses for Poor Teamwork
Review: I enjoyed reading and digesting the practical, easy to understand advice given by the authors of this book. Members of any team can gain valuable information and insight on how to function more effectively on their teams. However, the sage advice given in this book will not set well with those reluctant to take responsibility for their own actions. The focus is on personal responsibility and developing what the authors' term "TeamWisdom." By following their advice, those with TeamWisdom can create highly responsible and productive relationships at work. The book can equip you with individual skills and behaviors to make a difference in the success of your team, provided of course that you are ready to accept responsibility and take action. Each topic in the five chapters is organized in a format that highlights and explains the skill or behavior necessary to gain TeamWisdom. This is followed by both a Personal Challenge to help you put it into practice and a Team Challenge to help you implement it with team members. Each topic ends with a real life example of how each skill or behavior has been put to practice. As someone you works to develop collaborative partnerships, I found the advice in this book realistic, clearly presented and concise. I highly recommend it as a sound, practical guide for anyone who shares responsibility with others to get work accomplished but doesn't have authority over them.
Rating:
Summary: I use it in my MB A class
Review: I have assigned this book as required reading for my MBA level course in managing individuals an teams. It has been a big hit. I have used other books in the past, but this is the first that really addresses the concerns that students have. I, and they, like the emphasis on the "individual" skills involved in
teamwork.
Rating:
Summary: Not just for improving Teamwork
Review: Thank you; thank you; thank you, Christopher. This book is GREAT -- indeed, masterful. Don?t walk! Run to get this book! This work adds to the knowledge on teamwork and does so in a way that is practical, easy to read, and easy to imagine applying. Avery has demonstrated his academic research skills, because even though the average reader may not see it, his work is based on knowledge of the latest research. He also demonstrates his long history as a consultant and facilitator in industries right close to home. Even though I have been studying and working in this field myself, this book added to my knowledge. Avery, Walker and O?Toole must have also demonstrated great teamwork, because the book is very clear, engaging, and immediately applicable. Have you ever heard, ?I just got put on a bad team?? Here is the antidote for all of us. Have you ever seen a team de-motivated, deflated over someone not keeping the agreements? People think, ?Well he?s not pulling his weight, the result won?t be good, what is the use in trying?? Have you ever had a subordinate be defensive when you were trying to give her just the tip she needed to come up to the bar? Have you ever been blindsided when it looked like the group came to agreement in lightning speed and then no one followed through. Have you ever wondered how to fix broken trust when you have ?blown it?? Have you ever wondered what a model for GOOD ? functional and effective ?collaboration was? It is all here. Read, mark, and inwardly digest. Here is management tool and employee culture with real values. Profundity and simplicity together is a sign of importance. I am raving about this book everywhere. Actually I just heard that the book is based on the newsletter that is sent to participants of Partnerworks workshops. On Monday, when participants have to put into practice their new skills, they have a newsletter with an easy assignment. Yeah for transformational education! Sharon Sarles, M.Div., M.A., OSD; organizational consultant with Organizational Strategies; Vice President for Research & Development, Southwest Facilitator's Network
Rating:
Summary: Rave Review
Review: Thank you; thank you; thank you, Christopher. This book is GREAT -- indeed, masterful. Don?t walk! Run to get this book! This work adds to the knowledge on teamwork and does so in a way that is practical, easy to read, and easy to imagine applying. Avery has demonstrated his academic research skills, because even though the average reader may not see it, his work is based on knowledge of the latest research. He also demonstrates his long history as a consultant and facilitator in industries right close to home. Even though I have been studying and working in this field myself, this book added to my knowledge. Avery, Walker and O?Toole must have also demonstrated great teamwork, because the book is very clear, engaging, and immediately applicable. Have you ever heard, ?I just got put on a bad team?? Here is the antidote for all of us. Have you ever seen a team de-motivated, deflated over someone not keeping the agreements? People think, ?Well he?s not pulling his weight, the result won?t be good, what is the use in trying?? Have you ever had a subordinate be defensive when you were trying to give her just the tip she needed to come up to the bar? Have you ever been blindsided when it looked like the group came to agreement in lightning speed and then no one followed through. Have you ever wondered how to fix broken trust when you have ?blown it?? Have you ever wondered what a model for GOOD ? functional and effective ?collaboration was? It is all here. Read, mark, and inwardly digest. Here is management tool and employee culture with real values. Profundity and simplicity together is a sign of importance. I am raving about this book everywhere. Actually I just heard that the book is based on the newsletter that is sent to participants of Partnerworks workshops. On Monday, when participants have to put into practice their new skills, they have a newsletter with an easy assignment. Yeah for transformational education! Sharon Sarles, M.Div., M.A., OSD; organizational consultant with Organizational Strategies; Vice President for Research & Development, Southwest Facilitator's Network
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