here is our list of the best teamwork books.
team building books are guides outlining the essential steps to building strong, productive teams. Accomplished industry leaders write these books to help employees and managers build successful teams.
You are reading: Books on team building
These books often contain team building tips, team building elements, and team building trends, and help develop team building skills.
Specifically, this list includes:
- team building books
- team building books for employees
- team building books for managers
- team building books teams
- books on team dynamics
then, here’s your reading list!
list of teamwork books
From conversations to creativity to trust, these books cover all the most important team-building topics.
1. The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork: Embrace Them and Empower Your Team by John C. maxwell
Team building requires much more than just getting a group together and assigning a project. good team management requires significant skills, preparation, and careful consideration.
john c. Maxwell breaks down all the basics of building great teams in one of the most comprehensive books on team building, The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. the author outlines why teamwork is critical and what managers can do to get the most out of teams, while sharing ideas such as “the goal is more important than the role” and “every player has a place where they add the highest value.”
“for the person who tries to do everything alone, the game really is over. if you want to do something great, you must link with others. one is too small a number to achieve greatness. that is the law of importance.”
learn more about the 17 indisputable laws of teamwork at amazon
2. the five dysfunctions of a team: a fable of leadership by patrick lencioni
Even in the best of situations, leading a team is a challenge. In times of trouble, skilled and empathetic leaders lead teams to success.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team describe the obstacles facing modern teams. The book addresses topics such as:
- lack of trust
- fear of conflict
- lack of commitment
- avoidance of responsibility
- lack of attention to the results
By exploring the roots of these problems and sharing specific examples, the book suggests strategies and solutions to help leaders avoid these common pitfalls.
“If you could get everyone in an organization pulling in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.”
learn more about the five dysfunctions of an amazon team
3. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Speaking Up When the Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Communication is key for teams, especially remote teams. sometimes we need to start difficult conversations with co-workers. Crucial Conversations covers how to stay calm and communicate clearly in tense situations.
Critical Conversations teach skills like managing emotions, persuading instead of intimidating, and creating safe spaces for employees to be honest. Unlike other team building books that focus on team building, Crucial Conversations minimizes conflict in the workplace by teaching teammates to avoid unnecessary confrontations and ease the inevitable upset.
“this is the first principle of dialogue: start with the heart. that is, your own heart. if you can’t get it right, you’ll have a hard time getting the dialogue right.”
learn more about crucial conversations on amazon
4. talking to strangers: what we need to know about people we don’t know by malcolm gladwell
Modern equipment is not static. As new projects emerge, teams expand and welcome new collaborators. In large, remote organizations, employees are often challenged to cooperate with unknown co-workers.
talking to strangers by malcolm gladwell examines interactions between strangers and points out how misunderstandings and mishaps occur. By taking a closer look at how we approach strangers, we can reimagine our conversations to ensure we form allies instead of enemies.
“That is the consequence of not failing to comply with the truth. if you don’t start out in a state of trust, you can’t have meaningful social encounters.”
learn more about how to talk to strangers on amazon
5. leaders eat last by simon sinek
Trusting teams work as a unit. untrusting teams function as individuals. Trusting teams are happier, more motivated, and more successful.
in leaders eat last, simon sinek emphasizes the importance of trust and stresses that teams must trust leaders. leaders build trust among teams by putting employees first and sacrificing comfort during crises. As one of the most leader-focused books on collaboration, Leaders Eat Last shows how leaders become respected members of teams rather than mere issuers of commands.
Notable Quote: “Leaps to greatness require the combined problem-solving ability of people who trust each other.”
learn more about leaders eat last on amazon
6. the energy bus: 10 rules to fuel your life, work, and team with positive energy by jon gordon
Attitude is contagious. good or bad energy can spread quickly among team members, so leaders must work to develop positive team environments.
The Power Bus is one of the most helpful books on creating a team culture because it shows how to stay positive and encourage others to do the same. While we can’t control external events, we can control our own perspectives. optimistic views lead to friendlier workplaces and better results. author ken blanchard teaches leaders how to foster a cool head and cheerful dispositions among teams by modeling behavior.
“To run a successful organization,” I say, “you must learn to manage people’s energy, including your own.”
learn more about the energy bus on amazon
7. mindful coaching: the art and science of building acceptance by brett bartholomew
Motivation requires skill. anyone can bark orders, but only the wisest leaders truly inspire. By understanding team members and adopting an approach that aligns with team member goals, leaders achieve greatness.
in conscious training, brett bartholomew shares psychological tricks to mentally train teams. many team building books are based on sports, including this one. mindful training focuses on athletes, but contains lessons that can be easily applied in the workplace.
“The starting point for any interaction should come from understanding what matters most to the other person.”
learn more about mindful coaching on amazon
8. team of teams: new rules of engagement for a complex world by stanley mcchrystal, tantum collins, et al.
sometimes “the way it’s always been done” doesn’t work anymore. effective management evolves with the times. Adaptable leaders build flexible teams. Businesses thrive when dynamic teams embrace change.
retired army general stanley mcchrystal joined forces with other authors to write a team of teams. Based on the lessons from the service, he wrote a guide to bonding and creating efficient teams that can perform well even under pressure.
“We encourage holistic awareness and try to get everyone involved in the fight. when we stopped holding them, when we gave them the order to just place their ship next to the enemy’s, they prospered.”
learn more about the team of teams at amazon
9. The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. flock
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every relationship begins and ends with trust. if team members don’t trust each other, teams will be less cheerful, more stressed, and spend more time second-guessing and checking each other’s work.
Stephen Covey, author of the legendary book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, describes why trust is so important and how you can earn it with trust quickly. the author has written several books on team bonding that teach how to let your guard down and have more confidence in your co-workers.
“In a very trusting relationship, you can say the wrong thing and people will still understand what you mean. In a low-trust relationship, you can be very measured, even precise, and still be misunderstood.”
learn more about trusted speed on amazon
10. creative, inc.: overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration by ed catmull and amy wallace
If leaders don’t allow team members opportunities to innovate, managers risk frustrating employees. Leaders who leave no room for creativity stifle team members’ imaginations and limit what teams can achieve.
the author ed catmull is one of the founders of the pixar animation studios. At Creative Inc, he educates readers on tips and techniques for building and influencing creative teams.
some of their views include: “everyone should be able to talk to anyone” and “it’s not the manager’s job to prevent risks.” it’s the manager’s job to make it safe for others to take them.”
“Give a mediocre team a good idea and they’ll screw it up. but give a mediocre idea to a great team and they will fix it or come up with something better.”
learn more about creativity inc on amazon
11. the culture code: the secrets of highly successful groups by daniel coyle
Team building and company culture have a symbiotic relationship. While team building solidifies and promotes company culture, a healthy company culture also helps leaders create strong and happy teams. In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle draws on examples of successful groups to point out the qualities of growth-friendly environments. Breaking the process down into three main principles (Build Security, Share Vulnerability, and Establish Purpose), Coyle outlines a blueprint for establishing a thriving culture in any organization.
“vulnerability does not come after trust, it precedes it. jumping into the unknown, when done together with others, makes the solid foundation of trust materialize under our feet.”
learn more about the culture code at amazon
conclusion
team leaders can improve management skills by reading advice from consummate professionals. All of the team building books on this list are also available as audiobooks, so you can also benefit from the knowledge during commutes and airport layovers.
For more information, check out our lists of books on employee engagement, books on company culture and diversity & inclusion books.
We also have a list of team building quotes and a post on the psychology of team building.
Frequently Asked Questions: Team Workbooks
These are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about teamwork books for employees and managers.
what are team workbooks?
Teambuilding books are guides that break down the often daunting process of teambuilding into basic concepts and strategies. authors use personal successes and failures to better educate readers.
what are some good books on team building?
The best books on team building identify common team problems and suggest ways to avoid or work around these pitfalls. Some good books on team building include The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork: Embrace Them and Empower Your Team by John C. Maxwell, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Fable of Leadership by Patrick Lencioni, and Leaders Eat the Last by Simon Sinek.
why should you read team building books?
You should read books on team building because these works identify all the elements of great teams and offer advice on how to build a team that works effectively with your management style.
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