ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a format for assessing the development needs of top teams. It helps to develop openness among top-team members. The chapter assesses the top-team strengths. It examines the blockages to top-team effectiveness. The chapter explores the areas for top-team development. The facilitator and the team leader should review the 'Top Team Audit' before making a commitment to use it. Team development can be helped by careful diagnosis of team capability leading to an improvement plan that builds on strengths and reduces or eliminates blockages. High scores indicate strengths and, conversely, low scores suggest a blockage. The top team has real power, with sufficient autonomy to shape the future direction of the business. The absence of a strong power base undermines the self-esteem of team members who lose confidence in their own abilities. Cooperative relationships help to ensure that decisions are taken rationally, using the best data available, rather than on the basis of power play.
