Teams Unleashed: How to Release the Power and Human Potential of Work Teams

Phillip and Alexis have written a highly instructive and insightful book on a topic that is of strongly growing importance. I can fully confirm Marshall Goldsmith's assessment: This is "an exceptional resource".The presented team coaching methodology benefits from- the many years of experience that the authors bring to the table, notably as founding members of Team Coaching International (TCI), the leading team coaching practice- a clear structure that allows to study and learn step by step- a great variety of practical examples- the quantitative and qualitative insights from reviewing more than 3'000 team assessmentsI can recommend this book to anyone who wants to make a difference for teams!

One of the most enjoyable intellectual experiences is reading about a well-known subject, and seeing it in a whole new light that sheds clarity and detail you never even thought about. Teams Unleashed, by Sandahl and Phillips, gave me that pleasure. After five years directing a school for high school drop-outs, and 38 years as a corporate attorney, I have been on many teams. The teams’ goals ranged through education, job-readiness training, product safety, process improvement, corporate re-structuring, and contract negotiating. Some teams were more satisfying and productive to be on than others.As I read Teams Unleashed, I found myself thinking, “Yup,” “Uh-huh,” “Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” and, “I sure wish I had read this book thirty years ago.” Sandahl’s and Phillip’s work with thousands of teams over more than a decade, as well as their rigorous research and statistical analyses gives them far more insight into what makes teams great than my isolated anecdotes.The book sets out an understandable framework of the factors that contribute to the success of teams, and it uses clear, direct, language, so the writing doesn’t get in the way of the ideas. Also, the book is very “user-friendly.” Anecdotes are set out in side-bars, theoretical bases, practical observations and exercises are woven together to make the book helpful to professional team coaches and casual readers alike.I’m sure professional team coaches will find Teams Unleashed a foundational part of their practice. Team leaders will also find it practical and useful in improving the productivity of their teams and the satisfaction of the team members. For the rest of us team members, we can look forward to the experience of recognizing, “Oh, I see what just happened,” or asking, “OK, this is where this team is now, what can I do to improve it?”

The team coaching model described in this book is simple to follow and a powerful tool for raising awareness on any team. I have already begun using numerous ideas from the book with teams that I coach and have seen how impactful the team coaching process is first hand from my work with the related Team Diagnostic Assessment. I'm thrilled to have the concepts behind the model available to organizations and expect to see this rise to the top of the list of best-sellers in organizational and team development. Practical and accessible for any team wanting to achieve transformational change!

Excellent model for what it takes for teams to thrive. Whether you are a leader or a team coach, you’ll find practical wisdom here that you can use immediately with the teams you work with. The conversational tone of the book makes it an enjoyable read.

As someone who has managed cross-functional teams, and now as a professional team coach I simply love this book. It’s practical, true, full of wisdom and a great guide to help teams work better together, be more productive and increase positivity. We all know it feels great to be part of a great team. I honestly believe that every team deserves this work!