The retired four-star general and and bestselling author of My Share of the Task shares a powerful new leadership model
Former General Stanley McChrystal held a key position for much of the War on Terror, as head of the Joint Special Operations Command. In Iraq, he found that despite the vastly superior resources, manpower, and training of the U.S. military, Al Qaeda had an advantage because of its structure as a loose network of small, independent cells. Those cells wreaked havoc by always staying one step ahead, sharing knowledge with each other via high-tech communications.
To defeat such an agile enemy, JSOC had to change its focus from efficiency to adaptability. McChrystal led the transformation of his forces into a network that combined robust centralized communication (“shared consciousness”) with decentralized managerial authority (“empowered execution”).
Now he shows not only how the military made that transition, but also how similar shifts are possible in all kinds of organizations, from large companies to startups to charities to government agencies. In a world of rapid change, the best organizations think and act like a team of teams, embracing small groups that combine the freedom to experiment with a relentless drive to share what they’ve learned.
McChrystal and his colleagues explain their process for helping organizations embrace this model. They also share fascinating research and examples from settings as diverse as emergency rooms and NASA’s mission control center.
Read by Paul Michael. Introduction and recaps read by General Stanley McChrystal.
Essential Read for Leaders Hoping to Navigate Increasingly Complex World Team of Teams is a fantastic read on navigating the complexities of today’s world using lessons learned from the best this nation has to offer. This book takes the reader on a journey that outlines the origins of modern management practices, with its traditional focus on efficiency and scientific management; reveals the shortcomings of this type of thinking in today’s increasingly complex world; and provides principles for effective leadership derived from lessons learned in Iraq and…
A must read for leaders of health care organizations I am writing this review from the perspective of a surgeon in an administrative leadership role at a large health system in the Midwest. I have no military background but found the details of military operations in Iraq riveting. The book is extremely well-written and easy to read, even for the militarily naive. In Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, General Stanley McChrystal does a masterful job of weaving war stories and business lessons into an instructional manual…
Hard fought lessons created a new model Team of Teams offers insights into the modern practice of leadership and management required to navigate and succeed in this complex world. The book is not a military history, but instead a concise and exceptionally “fun to read” collection of insightful ideas told through entertaining stories ranging from industry to hospital emergency rooms. I recommend it for leaders and associates from all types of organizations who need to break down the effects of siloed teams in which…