The Tao of Team in Practice

'The Tao of Team in Practice' is a compendium of activities and conversations for forming and developing the effectiveness of school teams. It contains more than 150 activities, conversations and team learning experiences that will assist the team and it's leader through all stages of team creation and performance. Many school leaders are introduced to these activities and discussions in my workshops and many have asked me to write this book so that they can access this resource for developing their own teams. This is my response to their requests. I invite its use by all the other school team leaders who want to create and work with dynamic and cohesive teams. These activities and conversations will provide a resource to help them form and nurture the energetic collaborations that result in great teamwork. The Tao of Team (the 'way' or 'doctrine' of team effectiveness) is the theme of this manual for practitioners. It is a compendium of activities that will bring team-members together, create and sustain team direction, enhance team decision-making and provide rich episodes of team learning for the groups who use it. While I have used these resources most often with school executive teams and with my workshop groups, I know that my school-based colleagues have used this suite of activities in working with stage and faculty teams, school project teams and with their student leaders. At all levels their use has enhanced the communication and clarified the purpose of the team. The introductions to each section of the book will also help team leaders to focus on the essential features of team in order to create teams whose diversity is a strength rather than a challenge. I commend the sections on team diversity and team decision-making to all school leaders who have experienced the challenge of vigorous debate among their team members. The Tao of Team provides the strategies to make a virtue of disagreement. The activities and interactions promoted in this book will help leaders unite their team and develop their skills in order to promote their vigorous and influential leadership of the school.