ABSTRACT
This chapter amply demonstrates that the art and science of leading teams is a complex and dynamic enterprise. The argument presented is that from a leadership perspective at least three domains need to be adequately addressed for teams to function well. Learning by engaging the team in cases and examples is one of the best ways to learn how to deal with similar issues that an executive team might face in the future. If the organization’s strategy is process effectiveness, teams need to constantly monitor their systems to optimize product or service delivery so that it is faster and/or cheaper than anyone else’s. For too long team leaders have been left without the training or understanding needed to be exceptional leaders of their teams. Top-management teams, or executive teams, are a particularly interesting group. They make very important decisions and, when they do not function properly, it is apparent to everyone else in the organization.
