6 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEAMS

“I follow the 6 Habits of Highly Effective Teams model not simply because it
works so well, but also because it is so sensible, so easily understood by
team members, and so implementable. The book is impressive in how
applicable it is to real situations, in real organizations, involving real
team-building issues. I return to it often to get grounded once again in the
core principles of teamwork that Kohn and O’Connell advocate.”
—Dr. Laila El Sayed, project engineer, Dupont iTechnologies

In the modern organization, considerable responsibility and authority are
delegated to and exercised by teams. Teams plan and deliver client projects
and address a wide variety of internal company needs, such as strategic
planning, system improvements, and operational decision-making.

While any group that is brought together for a common purpose can be
labeled a “team,” what characteristics make a team truly effective? How can
the “whole” become greater than the sum of the group’s individual parts? How
does a team perform better than individuals might perform on their own?

In 6 Habits of Highly Effective Teams, management consultants Stephen E.
Kohn and Vincent D. O’Connell provide a model of superior team performance
that draws on the co-authors’ 50 years of combined organizational
development experience and research. Highly effective teams, Kohn and
O’Connell insist, are characterized less by the technical competencies of
individual team members and more by widespread agreement and alignment
with a small but extremely relevant set of team processes, values, and
understandings.

By focusing on and reinforcing a half dozen team “habits,” groups can
develop the type of synergies that define collaborative excellence. The model
is simple and practical, but it can yield extremely powerful results for any size
organization.  

Paralleling their previous publication—6 Habits of Highly Effective
Bosses—Kohn and O’Connell'l combined wisdom and practical exercises will
show anyone trying to make a more potent contribution to an important team
effort exactly what to do.

Stephen E. Kohn is president of Work & People Solutions, a human resources
management and training firm based in White Plains, NY. Mr. Kohn has more
than 25 years of experience and has served for more than a decade as EVP
of coaching firm Paul Sherman and Associates. His corporate clients range
from large Fortune 500 firms such as Dupont and Pfizer to professional
services firms such as Ernst & Young.

Vincent D. O’Connell is a senior partner with Work & People Solutions, leading
the consulting firm's training and assessment efforts. He has led training
courses nationwide and around the world, including recent programs in
France and Malaysia.