Extra-dependent teams : realising the power of similarity

Inter-Dependent Teams: people working together to achieve a common goal. Extra-Dependent Teams: people learning together to develop a common practice. Extra-Dependent Teams: Realising the Power of Similarity reframes the conventional mental model of teams into two complementary mental models of Extra-Dependent and Inter-Dependent Teams. Both types of team operate inside organisations today, but convention doesn’t realise their difference. Extra-Dependent Teams are present in organisations because of their similarity – they do similar work in similar ways, but don’t actually work together. People who lead them often feel like they are herding cats. Convention cites them as dysfunctional. But cats don’t herd. They are independent whilst all being the same. Realising this difference provides new ways of understanding and addressing the problems that convention can’t overcome. The reader will be introduced to the distinctness of Extra-Dependent Teams, their dynamics, how they perform, how they develop and how to lead them. Inspired by research on communities of practice and social identity, the book delivers an original and pragmatic approach to teams, being packed with examples, case studies, practical guidance and words of warning for managers and others about how to transform their Extra-Dependent Teams from peripheral problems into engines of innovation and growth. Extra-dependent teams: realising the power of similarity reframes the conventional mental model of teams into two complementary mental models of extra-dependent and inter-dependent teams. Both types of teams operate inside organisations today, but convention doesn't realise their difference. Extra-dependent teams are present in organisations because of their similarity - they do similar work in similar ways, but don't actually work together. People who lead them often feel like they are herding cats. Convention cites them as dysfunctional. But cats don't herd. They are independent whilst all being the same. Realising this difference provides new ways of understanding and addressing the problems that convention can't overcome. The reader will be introduced to the distinctness of extra-dependent teams, their dynamics, how they perform, how they develop and how to lead them. Inspired by research on communities of practice and social identity, the book delivers an original and pragmatic approach to teams, being packed with examples, case studies, practical guidance and words of warning for managers and others about how to transform their extra-dependent teams from peripheral problems into engines of innovation and growth Cover 1 Half Title 4 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Dedication 8 Contents 10 List of figures 11 List of tables 12 Foreword 13 Acknowledgements 15 PART I 18 1 Herding cats 20 2 Schools of herding 31 3 Inter-Dependent and Extra-Dependent Teams 47 PART II 66 4 The bonding power of Extra-Dependent Teams 68 5 Extra-Dependent Team dynamics 82 6 Extra-Dependent Team management 96 7 Extra-Dependent Team performance 114 8 Extra-Dependent Team development 125 9 Extra-Dependent Team leadership 147 PART III 160 10 Reflection on practice 162 Index 170 Extra-Dependent Teams: Realising the Power of Similarity reframes the mental model of teams to have two complementary mental models of teams- Extra-Dependent Teams and Inter-Dependent Teams.