Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times: Unlocking the Genius of Creative Collaboration [Hardcover]

Laurie Lamantia (Author), Lisa Gundry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times presents a proven process for organizations to build teams that go beyond surviving to thriving. Whether a team's goal is charitable fund-raising or new product development, the book outlines 10 essential principles applicable to all teams.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While assembling teams is often painless, compelling them to remain highly productive is challenging. The key to effective teamwork, say the authors, lies in 10 essential steps that involve giving each team a significant raison d'etre and encourage change and risk. Despite engaging writing, some of the content is rather tame: suggestions include "Sit in a different chair every meeting" and "Look for positives versus negatives." First-time team members will benefit from this book; more experienced employees may be disappointed.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Lisa Gundry -- Lisa Gundry, Ph.D., is an expert in innovation, creativity and team collaboration. A professor of management at DePaul University's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago and pioneer of their Creativity in Business MBA course, she has co-authored two other books, including BluePrints for Innovation. Laurie LaMantia -- Laurie LaMantia is the co-founder of an award-winning, internal Lucent Technologies venture dedicated to nurturing an environment for creativity and innovation at Bell Laboratories. She earned her MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and her Masters in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dearborn Trade (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793142733
• ISBN-13: 978-0793142736
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,177,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times, September 6, 2001

By 

Breakthrough for Life (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times: Unlocking the Genius of Creative Collaboration (Hardcover)

Gundry and LaMantia have done an exceptional job teaching the essence of team collaboration and innovation to achieve unforeseen possibilities. "Breakthrough's" mentoring tone outlines the ten critical principles needed to optimize team and individual creativity, performance and success. The authors' contagious excitement draw the reader in, as he/she is taken through a step-by-step course of how to effectively and simply "breakthrough" in life and in work.

The concepts presented by the Gundry and LaMantia are not new or hard to learn, but two things stand out that make this book important. First, the authors present their material in a comprehensive and unique process that is easy to follow, implement and teach. Second, the authors' consistent reinforcement of key fundamentals and the underlying meaning as to "why it is important" are at the core of collaboration. --Highly recommended.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Its time. A Call to the brilliance of the human spirit., September 6, 2001

By 

Jim Grigoriou (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times: Unlocking the Genius of Creative Collaboration (Hardcover)

Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times as a title sorely undersells the value of this text. This book clearly understands and beautifully elicits how to unlock, as well as grow, the creative problem solving genius within each of us. Its 10 principles to establish collaborative teams are not mathematically derived or drawn from Meta analysis. As a leader of teams, this book has got its fundamental tenets correct - we all want to be our primal self and contribute all our talents to create and solve problems. By understanding the basic tenets of human nature - honesty with oneself, finding our true passions and living with integrity, Gundry and LaMantia have shown the way.

Although there are numerous `teams' books written, few if any authors have trawled to deeply understand the building blocks of what makes an extraordinarily productive team - individuals who are truly honest with what they want from life, consciously make choices, speak with conviction and integrity, respect, honor and promote those around them. Truly collaborative teams that sustain breakthroughs as well as adapt and grow from adversity require, first and foremost, honest people. Gundry and LaMantia have to be congratulated for not only establishing the human principles required for establishing great teams, yet ask the questions we each should each pose to ourselves to experience a more fulfilling and whole life.

Following significant reflection of this text, the authors are correct in arguing that there is very little we have to learn so as to work together with a high degree of effectiveness. We each have the skills to be honest with what we want and how we wish to work, to listen as well as have fun with our colleagues, to cultivate shared responsibility and ownership, act courageously, live according to a `what if' rather than `thou shall be' guidelines etc.

As stated, what is required is to sweep away de rigueur organizational and society assumptions and expectations regarding the world of work and create new modes of conduct based on what the team desires to be truly effective. The most important task as we begin to collectively mold into a new team is for each individual to reflect on who they are, what are their dreams and passion, what they see as the purpose of the team and what they wish to contribute. They share this openly and honestly with the team, without judgement and questioning.

How refreshing it is to read learned experts in this field discuss the importance of honesty, respect for all viewpoints, courageous action and having fun and periods of reflection and rejuvenation. How wonderful it is to see a `business book' speak of people as breathing, spiritual animals with intrinsic needs who are on a journey of self discovery towards becoming more whole, hence contributing far in excess of what many of us believe is `normal' to contribute in the workplace.

The book is quite right in arguing that breakthrough teams requires people who are whole - they understand their internal direction in life, have considered their values, mode of operating, their passions and come to others in a spirit of generosity, active listening and non-judgment. The true breakthrough that this book delivers is that its teachings are applicable to any domain because it has viewed, questioned and judged people not in a business context, yet in our natural environment of communities. The health of the group stems from the importance of the individual. Dowse the passion and you end up with breakup teams.

This book stands as a litmus test not only for team leaders and organizations, yet for individuals who want to be part of a high performance team and enjoy and grow from every moment of their experience. This text provides the `how to' tools that we all intrinsically have to create breakthrough teams - understand our own unique qualities followed by being honest with ourselves and everyone around us. If so, you will find work to be productive, rewarding, fun and rejuvenating.

You will not find rules for behavior, decision making, rewards etc. The text is littered with succinct tools, helpful hints, guideposts and axioms that get you thinking and most importantly, reflecting about the way of work that is best for you.

This text is quite simple. Its basis is the primal tenets of individual honesty and integrity, understanding our passions and what we want to contribute and courageously outlining these in the workplace. From this true open forum of genuine listening, respect and reflection, team visions, culture and work credos are developed. Resiliency muscles are developed to make the team grow stronger through the inevitable bad times.

The value you derive from this book will be gained upon reflection on the axioms on which it is founded. Its primacy is the sacredness of the individual - their passions, dreams, values and boundaries. Breakthrough teams create a safe environment where people can be truly themselves, verbally and in action. They are contributing what they want, speaking truthfully and take deep responsibility for their words and actions. They listen with compassion and without judgment. Gundry and LaMantia have developed the principles that unlock our true selves, hence contributing our greatest talents and thereby not only developing breakthrough teams, yet also, more content, productive and whole people. Once we are on this road, our fears begin to vanish, and synchronicities begin to happen that help to make our dreams come true.

Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times is a call to re-ignite the best of the human spirit. A seminal work that has caused me to deeply reflect about the people that I lead, the responsibilities that I choose and how to mold and improve not only the economic performance of my team, yet to also increase the deep intrinsic and individual satisfaction that I want each person to feel from our work as well as our interactions.

Its time to go beyond vitas and technical qualifications and ask people what fire burns in their belly, where is their life going, what do they want to contribute and in what environment would they like to work?

It is because of Gundry and LaMantia that I now have the `stepping stones' to develop my team into a truly collaborative high performance unit. As well as delivering the outputs, we will also be having lots of fun. Its time.

Jim Grigoriou
Managing Director
Infusion Technology Pty Ltd.

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ!!!, April 25, 2005

By 

Christopher Emmerich (Lake in the Hills, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times: Unlocking the Genius of Creative Collaboration (Hardcover)

This book was required reading for an MBA class at DePaul University. You know how most "required reading" books go, quite dry and boring. This book, however, is just the opporsite. It's a quick read and informs the reader on so many levles to creating a highly functional, cohesive and creative work group.

Implement this book and the issues of employee satisfaction will disappear!

Well worth investing time and the small price to purchase the book. Keep it as a reference!