Teams That Work

The Seven Drivers of Team Effectiveness

By: Scott Tannenbaum, Eduardo Salas

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Why do some teams thrive, while others struggle?

In the modern workplace, employees collaborate. Managers are expected to be effective team leaders and employees are expected to be valued teammates. But many teams struggle. Being part of a struggling team can be unpleasant, but it can also hurt your career and waste company resources.

In Teams That Work, Scott Tannenbaum and Eduardo Salas present the seven drivers of team effectiveness and the clearest recommendations on what really makes teams great. Applying the lessons they've learned from working with high-stakes, high-risk team situations to any kind of organization, they will dispel some of the most enduring myths (e.g., can you be both a star and a great team player?), feature the most useful psychological research, and share real-world illustrations of effective teams in action. Listeners will find actionable, evidence-based tips for being an effective team leader, a great team member, a supportive senior leader, or an impactful consultant.

©2021 Oxford University Press (P)2023 Ascent Audio

Good info, but dull to listen to

I imagine that this book would be better in written form as a reference guide. As an audiobook, I found it rather boring and tedious. There is a commonly used template the authors use to deliver information. It usually starts with defining a term (referred to by title or acronym), followed by explanations and enumerated variations/aspects which often seem wordy and repetitive.

There are short stories to illustrate the points, which is helpful, but generally they are unengaging and unmemorable. Finally it cites studies and scientific research to support the ideas in each section. This is good to know, but it just isn't very interesting to listen to and all pretty dry and matter of fact. The continual use of numbered lists is one of my least favorite aspects that detract from the overall message. That may work good in a book, but not so much in audio.

While I do not disagree with the content in the book, it simply isn't one I enjoyed or plan on listening to again. Overall, I think the content could be delivered in a much more engaging, memorable, and succinct way for a better listening experience. If written in a different style leading with real world stories, it would work better to communicate the ideas rather than expecting listeners to understand and remember term definitions and enumerated points.