ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many have studied teams seeking to explain why some work well while others fail. One of the most notable is J. Richard Hackman, who spent nearly five decades observing and writing about teams. Richard was my advisor in graduate school and proved to be a wise and quirky mentor. Dennis N.T. Perkins, author of Leading at the Edge, was an inspiration in emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurial leadership in building great teams and organizations. Robert Freed Bales, in his pioneering work on group dynamics, examined what he called task-oriented versus socioemotional behavior in team life. His ideas influenced what I describe in this book as the interplay between results and relationships. Other individuals who provided helpful insights, either in person or through their writing, include David Berg in Paradoxes of Group Life, Amy Edmondson in Teaming, Jon Katzenbach in The Wisdom on Teams, David Nadler in Executive Teams, and Ruth Wageman in Senior Leadership Teams. Barry Johnson was generous in discussing with me his insights into how polarities influence what occurs in organizations and teams. I especially want to thank the many clients and colleagues with whom I worked as a consultant on the building of high-performing organizations. They gave me hands-on experience working closely with teams and leaders doing important work. I also benefited by working with Stephen S. Power and his group of professionals at AMACOM. Stephen offered editorial advice throughout the writing this book. Finally, I am grateful for the support provided by my daughter Gabrielle and brother John.