Requirements elicitation, writing, analysis, and modeling by IIBA Endorsed Education Provider.

Leading Self-Directed Work Teams : A Guide to Developing New Team Leadership Skills

Summary

TOC

Look Inside

Comments

Reviews

Kimball Fisher, Kim Fisher

November 1992, McGraw Hill, Hardcover, 263 pages, ISBN 0070210713

Sharpen the leadership skills that make and keep companies competitive with this unique book, Leading Self-Directed Work Teams. Packed with eye-opening case studies of SDWTs at Kodak, Apple, Corning, Walmart, and other leading firms, Kim Fisher's thought-provoking book can help you increase cooperation and productivity in any dynamic environment.

You'll discover how to:

manage by flexible principles-not rote policies;
coax teams into meeting tough cost, quality, and productivity goals;
set priorities that evolve as your team evolves;
resolve team conflicts with innovatiove nonautocratic methods;
encourage members to express their own views-even as you foster team values and vision;
handle peers and senior managers who resist change

Part I: A New Kind of Leader for a New Kind of Business Environment
Bosses Who Don't Boss
Self-Directed Work Teams: What Are They and Where Did They Come From? Team Empowerment: Passing Fad or the Future of Work Design? The Classic Supervisor Is an Endangered Species
The Transition from Supervisor to Team Leader: A Rocky Road

Part II: Building the Foundation for Change
The Kodak 13 Room Story: Empowering Team Leaders
Overcoming Common Transition Difficulties: Four Learnings from the 13 Room

Part III: The Power of Values and Assumptions
The Visible and Invisible Elements of Team Leadership
Theory X Assumptions and Control Paradigm Thinking: You Can't Get There from Here
The Values and Assumptions of Team Leaders: Lessons from the Trenches
Team Leaders Value Teamwork, Authenticity, Development, and Barrier Busting

Part IV: The Role of the Team Leader
The Supervisor vs
the Team Leader: Sheep Herders and Shepherds
The Role of the Team Leader
Essential Competencies for Team Leaders: Leader, Example, and Coach
The Business Analyzer, Barrier Buster, Facilitator, and Customer Advocate
The Myth of the Marshmallow Manager
The Five Stages of Implementing Empowerment
Leadership Roles During the Early Stages of Team Maturity
Leadership Roles During the Later Stages of Team Maturity

Part V: The Team Leader Workout
Three Days in the Life of a Team Leader
A Weekly Activity Guide for Team Leaders

Part VI: Common Problems and Uncommon Solutions
When Team Members Resist the Change to a Self-Directed Work Team
Helping Supervisors Change to Team Leaders
Managing Upwards: When You Don't Have the Support of Senior Management

Part VII: Team Leader Evaluation Tools
The Team Leader Litmus Test: Do I Fit As a Team Leader?
Assessing Team Leader Effectiveness Sampler
The Team Leader Survival Guide

Review-Date: 5/2/2009 Rating: 5 Summary: The Bible of teaming

Great book with many examples and good advice on developing self directed work teams. It is by far the best book written on using SDWT. The only flaw is that the author should use more examples from healthcare and non–profit organizations.

Review-Date: 5/26/2007 Rating: 4 Summary: Very good coverage of self–directed teams

"Leading self–directed work teams" consists of 6 parts. The first part introduces the concept of self–directed work teams, it‘s history and especially the difference between traditional organizations and self–directed work teams. Part 2 gives a case study from Kodak. Part 3 talks about the assumptions that leaders in organizations have and how it affects the SDWT. Part 4 describes the role of the team leader and a description on what team leaders do day–to–day (there are actually 2 part 4s, which is kinda weird). Part 5 talks about problems and solutions and the final part gives some tests which you can do to see how suitable you are for a team leader (I need some minor changes, it says).

I loved the beginning of the book. The first couple of chapters were fantastic and I quickly finished part 1. I didn‘t find the case study interesting. I liked part 3 quite a lot, but then when the book went on I felt it was not getting much better. The author tried to think of concrete tools for a team leader to use, but somehow they didn‘t feel natural (like the 5 stages of team leaders). Near the end of the book, I felt something was missing from the book. I don‘t know exactly what it is, maybe the team member perspective, maybe more concrete tools. (simulation games?)

Despite the above critique, I recommend the book to anyone involved or interested in self–directed teams. Kimball Fisher wrote in a clear style which kept me reading the book. Theory was followed with concrete examples. It‘s not a lot of pages so it‘s easy to read in a relative short time.

I learned a lot from this book. I‘m a promoter of SDWT in my organization and the book made me realize how difficult the transition is. How difficult it is for supervisors to adopt their new roles and for team leader to broaden their job responsibility. It clarified my experiences. SDWT are the future but the part towards them in long.

Review-Date: 10/27/2006 Rating: 3 Summary: Decent, But Not Ground Breaking

As other reviewers have noted, an interesting read for the military leader and "ops" guy alike. But at the end of the day I tend to lump this book together with the tedious, dime–a–dozen management specials out there. As a former military officer I‘ll be the first to toe the line and admit that a lot of what Mr. Fisher explores is right on target – just not new territory.

At the end of the day, a good primer (or refresher) but not entirely college math.

Review-Date: 7/20/2001 Rating: 5 Summary: All MILITARY Leaders Need This Book

***The second industrial revolution is definitely in full swing. As we progress from the traditional style organizational leadership and head towards team–building and progressive leadership, this book illuminates what will work. So many leaders in the military have failed to adapt to the cultural changes of the new millenium, and thus the failure to retain Officers and Enlisted alike. All military leaders must accept that fact that EMPOWERMENT is the key to organizational success. This book defines what empowerment is and how to effectively implement the "Self–Directed Work Teams." Covers what a true leader is how "barking direct orders" is not effective as empowering others to perform. Set boundaries instead of rules. I am a military Officer and have seen many times the follies that many Officers make when making leadership decisions. This book not only shows you what is wrong with the traditional systems, but also how to implement effective leadership.

*******A MUST READ FOR ALL MILITARY LEADERS AND CIVILIAN MANAGERS*** DEFINETLY A GREAT BOOK!!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ALL AS A GROWING TOOL. READ IT, LEARN IT, USE IT!

Review-Date: 5/24/2001 Rating: 4 Summary: Lessons from an Experienced Practitioner

This book is a solid how–to manual for leading self–directed work teams. Kimball does a great job of explaining what self–directed teams are all about and how to lead them.

Leading self–directed team may sound like paradox, but these teams need a special type of leadership. This book goes beyond theory to explain the realities of making these teams really work. Easy–to–read with plenty of examples.

* Mark Kelly, coauthor of MASTERING TEAM LEADERSHIP: 7 ESSENTIAL COACHING SKILLS

Review-Date: 4/16/2001 Rating: 4 Summary: Insightful!

Kimball Fisher provides a revised, updated look at the techniques for successfully leading self–directed work teams (SDWTs). He draws on basic principles described in his earlier book of the same name. SDWTs are effective, and growing in popularity. Fisher focuses on how leaders must adapt to make them work. He emphasizes the need to truly empower and support workers. He underscores the importance of making the team adaptable to the work itself, rather than clinging to a particular structure. Fisher combines principles with examples and how–to tips that you can apply in your own organization. He provides good summaries of each chapter‘s highlights. We [...] recommend this well–organized, clearly written book. While some of its contents are similar to recent books on creating teams, empowering employees and using a better management style, it is an excellent recap and a good guide for anyone new to team–building methods.

Review-Date: 10/10/2000 Rating: 5 Summary: The Heart of Modern Management

Kimball Fisher writes about the heart of modern management, the need to develop employees at all–levels and tap latent organizational resources through the emphasis of employee involvement in team–based programs.

Fisher makes many of his points through analogies, which makes his work a delight to read, and easy to remember. Two of his analogies have taken a firm hold in my mind. The first is about the difference between the Shephard and the Sheep herder, and the second about not "eating the sausage." Both analogies describe the need for management to support workers, so as to create quality and efficiency in the absence of rigid oversight.

The book is well–written and easy to read, with information compartimantalized in understandable "sound–bites." The book is packed with models and concepts which promote the use of team based programs, and descibe the proper roles of team members and management.

Review-Date: 10/12/1999 Rating: 5 Summary: If teams are the Religion, then this is the Bible!

This book is our standard as we begin to build the team concept. The quote, "If teams are the Religion, then this is the Bible" comes from a senior manager in our company who has PASSION for the team concept. I am an internal OD consultant and I have a healthy background in the development of self directed teams. I used to consider "Self Directed Work Teams, the New American Challenge" by Orsburn, Moran, Musselwhite and Zenger to be the standard. Since then I have read a lot of works on the concept of self directed teams, and this Fisher book is a great book, at the top of the heap. Reason? Because as a practitioner you can USE it.

Review-Date: 9/16/1999 Rating: 5 Summary: Very good book for those addressing teamwork issues

It‘s always a pleasure to read a book written by someone who both understands his topic and has lived it. Kimball Fischer succeeds on both counts, and anyone charged with implementing self directed work teams would benefit from this work. When consulting with organizations on their process improvement efforts, reorganization and teamwork often become issues. This book is one of several that have helped me to assist my clients in addressing those issues. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me – adamleft@webspan.net.

Review-Date: 12/1/1997 Rating: 5 Summary: Excellent blueprint for a transitional leader.

After a thorough discussion of what a Self Directed Work Teams the author slides into a step–by–step description of how a supervisor/manager can transisiton to a team leader. I found the numerous tables and checklists to be understandable and complete. This book will make an excellent reference.