CREATING THE "I" IN TEAM
Building Superior Management Teams with Intelligence, Initiative, and Integrity

PREFACE
     
      “There’s no I in team!”
      Coaches shout it in locker rooms around the word. And supervisors in the business world also repeat it like well-schooled parrots as they challenge their organizations.
      “There’s no I in team!” It is certainly one of the most exalted of all sports clichés--more personal than “Put up or shut up,” easier to prove than “We need to give 110%,” more credible than “We’re taking it one game at a time.”
      “There’s no I in team!” Apparently a lot of folks really believe it.
      What a glorious ode to the sanctity of the team. What a selfless expression of the importance of working for the greater good. What a triumphant reminder of the importance of sacrifice.
      What a dangerously misleading and inaccurate witticism.
      Sure, the letter “I” doesn’t appear in the word “team.” Nor does it appear in the word “person,” nor in “watermelon.” So what? Clichés don’t make teams run smoothly and effectively--people do. The truth is that “I” is in every team, and to deny that is to deny the very foundation on which a team is built. It obviously starts with the fact that teams are made up of individuals. Success demands that you reach every individual on the team. However, this book is about much more than that element. This is about creating superior team performance by focusing on the “I” of Intelligence, Initiative, and Integrity.
      There is almost no challenge you will face in life that cannot be met more effectively through the power of a team. You will accomplish more, get it done more quickly, and have more fun doing it with a strong team. If you’re ready to change the world and leave a lasting mark on your chosen field, a high-performing team is precisely what you will need. Building great teams in business and in sports is a daunting task. It is talked about endlessly, yet surprisingly few managers consistently demonstrate the capability to pull it off.
      For the individual committed to building better teams, there is certainly no shortage of material to draw upon. You can attend seminars, employ the most skilled consultants, hire personal coaches, and read a library full of books. This plethora of material suggests we all have a lot of room for improvement. Obviously, you are aware of these challenges and searching for something that might just give you that competitive edge. Building better teams is your responsibility. This book will guide you, but it will be your energy, commitment, and audacity that make it happen.
      I expect to deliver three specific outcomes in this book:
     
      1.       Provide simple but effective guidelines for building better teams.
      2.       Reinforce the need to cultivate Intelligence, Initiative, and Integrity.
      3.       Inspire you to excel in your role as a leader.
     
      So let this book inspire and inform you and help you learn how to change your world for the better because, above all, that’s what powerful teams do.